Let’s talk about how to make Chinese 5 spice powder, shall we? You can buy good a good quality spice mix from the grocery store or online, but when you make it at home, you’ll get the fullest, most pungent flavor, and you can adjust the ratios to make it your own. Boom! Done! Your fresh Chinese five spice powder is ready to use. Smells wonderful, doesn’t it? Pungent! Unlike any other seasoning you’ll encounter. I use the following ingredients:
Star Anise seeds Fennel Seeds Szechuan Peppercorns. Aka Sichuan Peppercorns. You can use white peppercorns or a milder flavor. Chinese Cinnamon. Clove.
Toast the Spices. Heat a small skillet to medium-high heat. Add the whole seasonings - cinnamon, star anise, cinnamon, cloves, fennel seeds - and lightly toast them in the dry skillet, 1-2 minutes. Stir part way through. Be sure to not let the spices burn. This lets the flavors of the spices bloom. A coffee grinder works well for this. FOR GROUND SPICES Mix and Use. Mix the ingredients together until well combined. Use as desired. Store in a sealed container in a cool, dark place. That’s it, my friends. I hope you enjoy this Chinese 5 spice recipe. Let me know if you make it and how you use it. I’d love to hear how it turned out for you. Keep it spicy! Try some of these Chinese recipes that use Chinese 5 spice:
Szechuan Beef Szechuan Chicken Szechuan Shrimp Szechuan Sauce Dan Dan Noodles General Tso’s Chicken Mapo Tofu Chicken Fried Rice Shrimp Fried Rice Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork) Bo Kho Recipe (Spicy Vietnamese Beef Stew)
Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.
The Food of Sichuan, by Fuchsia Dunlop (affiliate link, my friends!)
NOTE: This post was updated on 10/28/22 to include new information and video. It was originally published on 7/26/21.
