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Five-spice powder
Wu xiang fen 五香粉: freshly toasted and ground star anise, cinnamon, clove, fennel and Sichuan pepper
Across China, from Cantonese roast meat shops to Sichuan home kitchens, five-spice is the blend that seasons red-braised dishes, tea eggs, roast duck and spiced tofu. Shop-bought powder loses its scent quickly; grinding your own takes ten minutes and gives a sweet, warm aroma with a gentle tingle from the Sichuan pepper. It is used by the pinch, not the spoonful. The classic mistake is grinding the spices raw or toasting them until they smoke; warm them just until fragrant. Chef's tip: pick the black seeds out of the Sichuan peppercorns before toasting, since they are gritty and bitter, and sieve the ground blend so it is silky fine.
- Total time
- 10 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 12
Ingredients
- 1 cinnamon or cassia stick8 cm piece, broken
- 1 tbsp fennel seeds
- 10 cloves
- 2 tsp Sichuan peppercornsblack seeds picked out
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Put 4 star anise, 1 cinnamon or cassia stick, 1 tbsp fennel seeds, 10 cloves and 2 tsp Sichuan peppercorns in a dry frying pan over a low heat. Shake the pan until the spices smell strongly fragrant and the fennel darkens slightly. Don't let anything smoke.
3 minStep 2: Tip onto a plate and leave to cool completely, about 10 minutes; warm spices clog a grinder.
Step 3: Grind to a fine powder in a spice grinder or with a pestle and mortar, then shake through a fine sieve and grind any coarse bits again.
Step 4: Store in a small airtight jar away from light. It is at its best for 3 months.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 5 kcal
- Protein
- 0 g
- Carbs
- 1 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does five-spice powder take?
- About 10 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 5 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 12 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of star anise?
- ½ tsp aniseeds or fennel seeds per star.
- What can I use instead of fennel seeds?
- Aniseeds, same amount (a stronger liquorice taste).
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