Chinese Five Spice Powder

Wu Xiang Fen (五香粉)

Classic Chinese Five Spice with freshly ground cinnamon, cloves, Sichuan pepper, star anise, and fennel seeds explodes with a robust fragrance and flavor.

While you may be tempted to by the pre-made Chinese Five Spice Powder from your local grocery store, these store-bought versions have dulled, muted flavors. Chinese Five Spice Powder is extremely easy to make, isn’t time consuming, and is rather inexpensive. The preparation is simply a matter of toasting the spices and grinding them into a powder. So, grab your wok and a spice grinder, and let’s get to work.

The following recipe has one of the more common versions of Chinese Five Spice. The reason I say common is because the actual five spices can vary a lot depending on region and the goal of the chef. Cinnamon, Cloves, Fennel Seeds, and Star Anise are almost always standard base ingredients. However, Sichuan Pepper is sometimes substituted with other aromatic ingredients such as dried ginger, dried galangal root, sand ginger, cardamom, bay leaves, etc. For instance, if I'm making Chinese Barbecue Seasoning (烤肉粉), I might substitute dried galangal root or bay leaves because the seasoning will already have a lot of Sichuan Pepper. However, if I'm making Chinese Thirteen Spice Powder (三十香粉), I might use Long Pepper to avoid adding a sizzling sensation.

When toasting the spices, use a dry wok and a low heat. Heat the wok before adding the spices and stir / toss gently while the spices heat. If you would like to toast the spices more evenly, you can toast them in stages – heating the larger spices first and then the smaller ones. For instance, toast the Cinnamon and Star Anise together, remove them, and then toast the smaller spices. The spices don’t need to be toasted long and just long enough to draw out some of their fragrance. Therefore, I do not specify a set time for toasting the spices. Just use your nose, trust your instincts, and you’ll be fine. Remember, it’s better to under toast the spices than to burn them.

Ingredients

Five Spice Base
4 whole Star Anise
2 sticks of Cassia Bark (OR Cinnamon)
2 Tbsp. Fennel Seeds
2 tsp. Green or Red Sichuan Peppercorns
1 tsp. of whole Cloves

Directions

1.) Place all of the Five Spice Base (Star Anise, Cinnamon, Fennel Seeds, Sichuan Peppercorns, and Cloves) into a wok or skillet and heat on low, gently tossing occasionally until the spices are fragrant.

(USE your nose! DO NOT burn the spices. The purpose of toasting is just to deepen the flavor slightly and not to char the spices).

2.) Once smelling nice, pour the spices into a blender or spice grinder and blend until a fine powder is achieved.

3.) Optionally, you can sift the spices through a wire strainer to remove any large pieces that wouldn’t blend and to achieve a finer powder. This process can be repeated a few times to achieve a fine powder.

(A fine powder isn’t necessary for Braised Dishes, but is highly recommended for use in Noodle Dishes).

4.) Pour the spices into an airtight jar and use the seasonings liberally. The Chinese Five Spice Powder should keep its flavor for about two months, but it is best within the first month of making. This recipe only makes about 1/4 of a cup of Chinese Five Spice Powder, so feel free to double as necessary.

 

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