A Chinese blend usually of star anise, cassia, cloves, fennel seed and Sichuan pepper, sweet and aniseedy, used for roast pork and duck, braises and marinades across southern China.
What it is¶
Chinese five-spice powder (wǔxiāng fěn, "five fragrance powder") is a ground blend used throughout southern China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and the Chinese diaspora, and adopted in Vietnam (ngũ vị hương). The standard five are star anise, cassia (Chinese cinnamon), cloves, fennel seed and sichuan pepper, although many versions swap one or add others.
It is powerful. Star anise and cloves are among the most intensely aromatic spices, and a quarter-teaspoon is enough to perfume a dish for two. Its most famous role is in Cantonese roast meats (siu mei), where it seasons the marinade for char siu pork and the cavity of roast duck and goose.
Origins¶
The blend's age is unclear. All five spices were known in China for many centuries: cassia and star anise are native to southern China and northern Vietnam, fennel had arrived from the west by the medieval period, Sichuan pepper is native, and cloves came from the Moluccas by sea trade. Printed recipes for a named five-spice powder are relatively recent, however, and the powder as a packaged product became widespread in the 20th century.
The number five is often explained by reference to the five elements (wǔxíng) or the five tastes of Chinese dietary theory. That is a popular explanation rather than a documented origin; five may simply describe the count, which is in any case not fixed.
What goes in it¶
| Spice | Role |
|---|---|
| star anise | Sweet liquorice; usually the dominant note |
| cassia | Warm, woody sweetness |
| Fennel seed | Softer anise, sweetness |
| cloves | Pungent depth; easily overpowering |
| sichuan pepper | Citrusy, numbing lift |
| Sometimes: ginger, liquorice root, dried tangerine peel, white pepper, black cardamom or galangal | Regional and brand variations |
Flavour¶
Sweet, warm and aniseedy, with woody cassia, a sharp clove edge and a faint tongue-tingling citrus note from Sichuan pepper. It reads as "savoury" when combined with soy sauce, sugar and fat, and as "sweet" on its own. Badly balanced blends taste of little but cloves.
How to use it¶
- Char siu: combine ½ teaspoon five-spice with soy sauce, hoisin, honey, Shaoxing wine and garlic for 500 g pork shoulder; marinate overnight and roast at 200 °C (gas 6).
- Crispy pork belly (siu yuk): rubbed into the meat side along with salt and sugar.
- Roast duck: a teaspoon mixed with salt and rubbed inside the cavity.
- Red-braised dishes (hong shao): a pinch alongside, or instead of, whole star anise.
- Salt and pepper dishes: mixed with salt and ground white pepper for fried tofu, squid or chicken.
- Western uses: gingerbread, plum crumbles, roast carrots.
Making it at home¶
About 5 tablespoons · 10 minutes
You need
- 6 whole star anise
- 2 tbsp fennel seeds
- 1½ tbsp Sichuan peppercorns, black seeds and stalks picked out
- 1 tsp cloves
- 7–8 cm cassia bark, broken into pieces
Method
- Toast everything in a dry pan over a medium-low heat for 2–3 minutes, shaking, until fragrant. Sichuan pepper scorches easily, so keep it moving.
- Cool completely on a plate.
- Grind to a fine powder in a spice grinder and sieve out any woody pieces of star anise or peppercorn husk.
- Store in a small airtight jar.
Variations¶
- Cantonese: star anise-forward, often sweetish, used for siu mei.
- Taiwanese: widely used in braised pork rice (lu rou fan) and fried chicken, sometimes with white pepper.
- Northern Chinese cooks may use more Sichuan pepper or add ginger.
- Vietnamese ngũ vị hương: similar to Cantonese, used for roast pork and duck.
- Commercial blends sometimes use cinnamon instead of cassia, ground ginger, liquorice or even seven ingredients under the five-spice name.
Every maker balances it differently, and there is no single canonical ratio.
Buying and storing¶
Airtight, cool and dark; ground five-spice fades within six months, the Sichuan pepper first. Chinese supermarkets sell small bags very cheaply, which is the best way to buy it if not making your own.