Chinese five spice

Chinese five-spice powder is an aromatic spice blend with a distinctly warm, sweetly spiced and lightly aniseed-like character. It is used to give meat, poultry and roasted dishes that typical Chinese depth, and also works well in marinades and glazes.

Type: spice blend
Origin: Chinese cuisine
Composition: variable (usually star anise, fennel seed, cinnamon/cassia, clove, Sichuan pepper)
Aroma: aniseed-like, warm, lightly sweet, spicy
Form of use: finely ground

Description

Five-spice powder is a classic Chinese blend built around the balance between sweet, warm and spicy notes, with a clear aniseed-like tone. The most common composition consists of star anise, fennel seed, cinnamon, often cassia, clove and Sichuan pepper, although proportions and accents can differ by producer. Sichuan pepper does not give sharp chilli heat, but a citrus-like tingling sensation that makes the blend lively. Because the spices are strong, five-spice powder is instantly recognisable and needs careful dosing.

In the kitchen

Chinese five-spice powder pairs particularly well with richer, full-flavoured ingredients: pork belly, duck, pork and chicken. It is popular in marinades with soy sauce, rice wine or dry sherry, garlic and ginger, and in glazes with honey or brown sugar. It can also be surprisingly good on roasted pumpkin, carrot or mushrooms, especially with a splash of soy sauce and sesame oil. Use it sparingly: a pinch to half a teaspoon is often enough for a dish serving 4 people. It is better not to combine it with too many other pronounced spices, so that its aroma stays clear.

Storage & preparation

Store five-spice powder airtight, dry and in the dark. Because it is finely ground, it loses strength relatively quickly; buy small quantities and replace it when the fragrance becomes less pronounced. Add it late to stir-fries or mix it into a marinade beforehand, so it cannot burn. In oven-baked and stewed dishes, you can add it early so the flavours infuse the dish nicely and the aniseed-like character becomes softer.