Chinese 5 Spice Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What does Chinese 5 spice have in it? ›

What is five spice powder made of? Five spice is a blend of star anise, cloves, cinnamon, Sichuan peppercorns and fennel seeds. If you don't have Sichuan peppercorns to hand, you could substitute them for black peppercorns – the flavour will still be nice, although it won't have the same heat.

Ground Cinnamon And Ground Star Anise

You can swap Chinese five spice with a mix of ground cinnamon and ground star anise. This will give you the spiciness and warmth of cinnamon and the licorice taste of star anise.

It's traditionally made of fennel seed, cloves, cinnamon, star anise and Sichuan peppercorns, but other spices can be added, too, including ginger, nutmeg, turmeric, cardamom, galangal, mandarin orange zest and anise.

In the culinary arts, five spice (also known as Chinese five spice) is a blend of ground spices used in Chinese and Vietnamese cooking.

The basic recipe for five powder includes cinnamon, cloves, fennel, star anise and Szechuan peppercorns ( you can call it the Chinese version of garam masala, but it is still very different). Whereas Garam masala is a warming blend of spices like coriander, cumin, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, cardamom and nutmeg.

A note about Chinese 5 Spice blends

We don't. It's from the wrong cuisine and offers a completely different flavor to Indian curry powders! It offers complex flavors that are synonymous with many Chinese dishes. It does feature peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon, star anise, and fennel seeds but it's also sweet and salty.

Spices do not expire in a way that would make you sick to consume them, however they do expire in the sense that they lose their flavor potency as they pass their peak freshness.

The spices included in the mix are rich in antioxidants, and contain minerals such as copper, iron, and manganese. As the name suggests, Chinese 5 Spice is often used in Chinese cooking and other Asian cuisines. It makes an excellent dry rub or marinade for meat or tofu.

Is Chinese five spice good for you? ›

Reduce blood pressure

The Chinese 5 spice ingredients are commonly excellent to regulate blood pressure level. Especially the fennel seed and cinnamon which is able to prevent blood clotting and improve blood circulation within the blood vessel. The proper circulation will keep the blood pressure in check.

No, you can't. They have dissimilar and incompatible flavor profiles. Chinese five spice is made with cinnamon, cloves, fennel, star anise, and Szechuan peppercorns. Of these, only cinnamon and cloves are common with Garam Masala.

The History of Five-Spice:

Originated in Southern China, Chinese five-spice contains star anise, fennel seeds, szechuan peppercorns, cloves, and cinnamon. It is believed that the Chinese were attempting to produce a “wonder powder” encompassing all of the five elements-- wood, fire, earth, metal, and water.

Five spice powder usually has clove, star anise, Szechuan pepper, cinnamon & fennel seed. Some regions switch out one of these and add ginger root. It was created to use all five tastes such as sweet, bitter, sour, salty and spicy.

To start with, Chinese five spice is Chinese in origin. Seven spice powder is Japanese, and also called shichimi togarashi. Unlike Five Spice, Seven spice's foundation is comprised of chilis, dried orange peel, sesame seed, dried ginger, and seaweed, as well as Sichuan peppercorns.

At first glance seven spice powder may sound like a variant on Chinese five spice powder, but they couldn't be more different. Or rather, they're exactly as different as their native cuisines. Five spice, fragrant with sweet and spicy anise flavors, is the perfect compliment to meaty Chinese braises and barbecues.

The warm, spicy-sweet flavor of allspice is very similar to that of five-spice powder, a blend of cinnamon, star anise, fennel, cloves, and ginger or pepper. Use equal parts of five-spice powder in place of the ground allspice called for in a recipe—it's great for both savory and sweet applications.

It can also really enhance fried chicken, roast duck, and ribs. In Cantonese restaurants, you'll often see it mixed with salt and served with fried or roasted chicken and pork. You can dip pieces of juicy meat into this seasoned salt for maximum flavor punch. Although it's not spicy-hot, it is rather intense.