Begin by toasting the Sichuan peppercorns and dried red chilies in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Remove them from the pan, let cool slightly, and crush them coarsely using a mortar and pestle or spice grinder.

Pat the salmon fillets completely dry with paper towels, then season both sides generously with salt and black pepper.

Heat the vegetable oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking.

Place the salmon fillets in the pan skin-side down and press gently to ensure contact; cook undisturbed for 4-5 minutes until the skin is golden and crispy.

Flip the salmon fillets and cook for another 2-3 minutes, or until the fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork, then remove the fish from the pan and set aside.

Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the minced garlic and grated ginger to the residual oil in the pan, sautéing for 30 seconds until aromatic.

Stir in the crushed Sichuan peppercorns and chilies, soy sauce, sesame oil, and sugar, simmering for 1 minute to meld the flavors into a spicy glaze.

Pour the hot spicy mala sauce over the crispy salmon fillets and garnish with sliced green onions before serving immediately with steamed rice.