Yes.. its part of the chinese 5 spice pepper ingredient. Had to check first

Shootingstar so it is in part of your heritage.

Japanese use it on grilled eel sushi with the sweet savory sauce. We sprinkle bit of the powdered pepper on the eel. The pepper and the sweet savory sauce creates a wonderful contrast in taste sort of Yin and the Yang.

We also use it in miso soup.

I would have to ask my mother for more uses. What I really need to do is sit with her and write down lot of her "old" knowledge before she loses them. From what it was like growing up in the 1930's through the war ... the recipe for family dishes... family history...