Herbs and Spices / Chinese Five Spice

Chinese Five Spice
Five Fragrance Powder

This is a strong Chinese flavoring spice mix containing ground anise-pepper (Szechwan pepper), star anise, fennel, cloves, cinnamon. Use it sparingly to give foods a distinctive aroma and flavor.

5 Spice It is usually that smell that hits you when you go into your local Chinese grocer.

Here is a recipe I found to make your own, but I haven't tried it myself yet.

1 1/2 tbsp star anise
2 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1 1/2 tsp cassia or cinnamon
1/2 tsp Szechwan pepper
1/2 tsp cloves

(optional: 1/2 teaspoon white pepper and/or 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger. Both will give added bite and depth of flavour)

Uses in Cooking:

5 Spice is used in a technique called "flavor potting", where meat is steeped in a rich sauce and cooked for long hours. Its sweet tangy flavor goes well with greasy meats like pork and duck.

Possible Substitutes:
None

How it comes:

Chinese Five Spice is usually sold ground in small packages. A little of this goes along way so buy small amounts. It should be stored in a tightly closed jar.