Five Spice Powder

Five Spice Powder (simplified Chinese: 五香粉; traditional Chinese: 五香粉; pinyin: wǔxiāng fěn) is a mixed spice blend used widely in Chinese cooking. Despite the name, commercial blends may contain five or more spices. The mixture is aromatic rather than chili-hot: it balances sweet, warm, and lightly numbing notes used in braises, marinades, and roasted or fried foods.

Five-spice blend with common constituent spices (Sichuan peppercorn, cloves, cinnamon, fennel seeds, star anise)

Common ingredients

A frequently cited classic set is:

• Star anise (八角)
• Cloves (丁香)
• Chinese cinnamon / cassia (肉桂)
• Sichuan pepper (花椒)
• Fennel seeds (花椒之外的茴香籽 / 小茴香)

Regional and brand recipes vary. Some mixes add licorice root, dried ginger, sand ginger, or white pepper. A related, less common blend with more spices is sometimes sold as thirteen-spice powder (十三香).

Culinary uses

Five-spice powder is typically used sparingly:

• Dry rubs and marinades for pork, duck, chicken, or tofu
• Seasoning for red-braised (红烧) dishes and stews
• Flavoring for fried snacks, roasted nuts, and some cold dishes
• Occasional use in bakery or sweet–savory fusion recipes outside China

It pairs with soy sauce, sugar, Shaoxing wine, and ginger/garlic aromatics. Because the blend is concentrated, cooks usually start with a small amount and adjust.

Related seasonings

• Doubanjiang and Pixian Doubanjiang — fermented chili-bean pastes that supply savory heat rather than warm spice perfume
• Hot Pot Sauce — compound seasoning for communal hot pot
• Lao Gan Ma — chili crisp / oil-based condiments
• Types Of Taste — overview of basic and compound Chinese flavors

See also

• Doubanjiang
• Pixian Doubanjiang
• Hot Pot Sauce
• Lao Gan Ma
• Types Of Taste
• Sichuan Food
• List of dishes (A-Z)