This is the classic Chinese spice blend. As I can't get it ready made, I always have to make this from scratch. However, any spice powder made from the base while spices will always be better than what you can buy in the shops. As ever, the home made version is superior and you can adjust the spices to suit your own taste.
Originating in Sichuan, five-spice powder (五香粉, wu xiang fen) has become a common ingredient in modern Chinese cuisine. At its heart it is a mixture from five spices – star anise, cloves, cinnamon, fennel seed and Sichuan peppercorns. Thankfully I can get Sichuan peppercorns, which I love from the local Woolworths.
A note to my readers, five-spice powder should contain Sichuan peppercorns, not black peppercorns. Interestingly Sichuan peppercorns are a member of the citrus family and have a numbing property on the tongue. They really can't be substituted by black pepper (as many recipes on the internet erroneously do). Of course, if you can't find Sichuan pepper then balck pepper will probably be your only recourse.
In the image of five-spice ingredients have below you can see the Sichuan pepper, which looks very different to whole black peppercorns.
1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns
2.5cm (1 in) length of cinnamon stick, borken into pieces
1 tsp whole cloves
1 sar anise, broken into pieces
Once cold transfer the spices to a coffee grinder and process until you have a fine powder. Transfer to an air-tight jar and store in a cool dry place. It will keep for several weeks, but the longer you keep the powder the more of the essential oils you will lose. So use as soon as you can.
Along with my Moroccan spice rub, I tend to use this as one of my go-to spice blends so it never really lasts long in my household.
As we frequently cook African food at home, I also make an Africanized version of five-spice where I add 2 tsp dried African birds' eye chillies to the basic blend. This provides the basic heat that many African dishes require.
This is a key ingredient in many Chinese and Chinese-style dishes, including my home-made oyster sauce recipe.
Originating in Sichuan, five-spice powder (五香粉, wu xiang fen) has become a common ingredient in modern Chinese cuisine. At its heart it is a mixture from five spices – star anise, cloves, cinnamon, fennel seed and Sichuan peppercorns. Thankfully I can get Sichuan peppercorns, which I love from the local Woolworths.
A note to my readers, five-spice powder should contain Sichuan peppercorns, not black peppercorns. Interestingly Sichuan peppercorns are a member of the citrus family and have a numbing property on the tongue. They really can't be substituted by black pepper (as many recipes on the internet erroneously do). Of course, if you can't find Sichuan pepper then balck pepper will probably be your only recourse.
In the image of five-spice ingredients have below you can see the Sichuan pepper, which looks very different to whole black peppercorns.
Chinese Five-spice Powder
Ingredients:
1 tsp fennel seeds1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns
2.5cm (1 in) length of cinnamon stick, borken into pieces
1 tsp whole cloves
1 sar anise, broken into pieces
Method:
Heat a small frying pan over medium heat and use to gently toast the spices unto fragrant (about 3 minutes). Take the pan off the heat and tip the spices into a bowl to cool.Once cold transfer the spices to a coffee grinder and process until you have a fine powder. Transfer to an air-tight jar and store in a cool dry place. It will keep for several weeks, but the longer you keep the powder the more of the essential oils you will lose. So use as soon as you can.
chinese five spice, china, spices, sichuan peppercorns, cinnamon, star anise, fennel, cloves
Spice Blend
China
Chinese Five-spice Powder
https://fabulousfusionfood.blogspot.com/2019/04/chicken-seasoning-recipe.html
Chinese Five-spice Powder. This is the classic Chinese spice powder made from cinnamon, fennel seeds, Sichuan peppercorns, star anise and cloves that is an essential ingredient in many Chinese dishes. A pinch added to any sauce or stew will help lift the flavour.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJBJWgVDeNHo2z_BOiYHtpwTQROhc_7glJ4HjgQGIJ2E404HcyQa06pC_sRtm_Vzi79agPfCZNaUXd2fKPYk701crj5aRpFw8KvKIP6OzmhZAb7MigCV71sDEpsRU8Np0qmyNF8sicHQs/s1600/five-spice-ingredients.png
2019-04-18
Yield: 1 Jar
Chinese Five-spice Powder
Chinese Five-spice Powder. This is the classic Chinese spice powder made from cinnamon, fennel seeds, Sichuan peppercorns, star anise and cloves that is an essential ingredient in many Chinese dishes. A pinch added to any sauce or stew will help lift the flavour.
prep time: 1 mins
cook time: 5 mins
total time: 6 mins
Ingredients:
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns
- 2.5cm (1 in) length of cinnamon stick, borken into pieces
- 1 tsp whole cloves
- 1 sar anise, broken into pieces
Method:
- Heat a small frying pan over medium heat and use to gently toast the spices unto fragrant (about 3 minutes). Take the pan off the heat and tip the spices into a bowl to cool.
- Once cold transfer the spices to a coffee grinder and process until you have a fine powder. Transfer to an air-tight jar and store in a cool dry place. It will keep for several weeks, but the longer you keep the powder the more of the essential oils you will lose. So use as soon as you can.
© Dyfed Lloyd Evans
Along with my Moroccan spice rub, I tend to use this as one of my go-to spice blends so it never really lasts long in my household.
As we frequently cook African food at home, I also make an Africanized version of five-spice where I add 2 tsp dried African birds' eye chillies to the basic blend. This provides the basic heat that many African dishes require.
This is a key ingredient in many Chinese and Chinese-style dishes, including my home-made oyster sauce recipe.
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