Homemade Chinese five-spice powder with star anise, cloves, Sichuan peppercorn, fennel seeds, and cinnamon. Chinese five-spice powder (五香粉) is an incredibly popular ingredient that can be used to enhance a variety of Chinese dishes. It has a unique blend of sweet and savory flavors that can go well with pancakes, buns, and BBQs.

What's the Chinese spice powder

Chinese five spice powder is made up of a combination of five ingredients, which include star anise (八角), cinnamon stick (桂皮), Sichuan pepper (花椒), cloves（丁香）, and fennel seeds（小茴香）. Together, these spices create a unique flavor profile that is both sweet and savory. And while the exact measurements may vary from brand to brand.

The five components

Star anise (八角)- Star anise is a pretty eight-pointed star-shaped spice. Buried within star anise pods is a little pea-size seed. This spice comes from the fruit of the Chinese plant illicium verum. It is a very large tree widely cultivated in Southern China. Grown in China and Japan, star anise has a very specific anise or licorice flavor. The aromatic spice is used mainly in cooking and in many other applications.

Chinese cinnamon stick (桂皮) -Chinese cinnamon, also known as Cinnamomum cassia or Cortex Cassiae, is a species of cinnamon that is native to China. The bark of the Chinese cinnamon tree is used as a spice. Cinnamon sticks (quills) are made from the inner bark of the Chinese cinnamon tree. The bark is harvested from the tree, then the inner bark is peeled off and dried. Chinese cinnamon has a stronger flavor than Ceylon cinnamon, another type of cinnamon.

Sichuan peppercorn (花椒)- The Sichuan peppercorn (Hua Jiao), also known as the Chinese peppercorn, is a type of spice that is native to the Sichuan province of China. The spice gets its name from the fact that it is actually the dried berries of a plant in the prickly ash family. Sichuan peppercorns can create a numbing feeling that can further improve the flavor of hotness. So it is commonly used with chili peppers to create a mala flavor. It also has a strong aroma which can contribute a lot to the five-spice powder blend.

cloves (丁香)-cloves are the unopened flower buds of the evergreen clove tree. These cloves are harvested and dried, then used whole or ground into a powder to add flavor to both sweet and savory dishes. Cloves have a warm, sweet, and slightly bitter taste that can enhance the flavor of many foods.

Fennel seeds (小茴香) - Fennel seeds are the small, dried fruits of the fennel plant. The seeds are oval in shape and have a greenish-brown color. They are often used as a spice or herb, and they have a sweet, licorice-like flavor.

How to use Chinese five spice powder

Chinese five spice powder can be added to any dish that needs some extra flavor. But the most common usages include using in pancakes like scallion pancakes, and steamed buns, or for marinating chicken and pork including five spice chicken or Char Sui. You can also try adding it to marinades or sauces for extra depth of flavor. Make sure not to overuse the spices –a little goes a long way! 

The advanced version- 13 Spices Mix (十三香)

Based on the five basic ingredients, other spices might also be added due to different recipes. In fact, there are more than 13 common Chinese spices used in Chinese dishes. You can adjust the amount according to the basic ratio or change certain ingredients accordingly. For example, you certainly reduce the amount of cinnamon if you do not strong cinnamon taste since it might cause some bitterness. That’s why I am always trying to make homemade versions of sauces, spices, and seasonings. We will have control of almost everything.

Five Spice Powder

Elaine

Chinese Five Spice Powder

5 from 4 votes

Print Recipe

Prep Time 5 mins

Cook Time 10 mins

Total Time 15 mins

Course Sauce and paste

Cuisine Chinese

Ingredients

  

• ▢ 20 g Sichuan Peppercorn
• ▢ 20 g star anise
• ▢ 10 g fennel seeds
• ▢ 10 g cinnamon or cinnamon powder
• ▢ 8 g cloves

Instructions

 

• Break cinnamon and star anise. And then put the two ingredients in your grinder to ground them to powder.
• Mix with other ingredients and continue grind until all the ingredients are well grounded.
• Filter large particles out; and keep the filtered ground powder mixture in airtighter container until use.

Notes

Since the five spice powder has a strong taste, spare it and do not use too much each time.
Do not throw away the large particles, you can use them in stewing recipes.

Keyword Five Spice

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