What Five Spices Make up Chinese Five Spice? (2024)

In the culinary arts, five spice (also known as Chinese five spice) is a blend of ground spices used in Chinese and Vietnamese cooking.

The Theory

One theory behind the composition of five spice powder is that it is intended to incorporate the five main flavors of sweet, sour, salty, bitter and pungent. In truth, there is nothing salty in the traditional five-spice blend. Also, in the culinary arts, pungent (or spicy) is not typically considered a flavor in its own right. Still, the theory that five spice encompasses a balance of the main flavors, in accordance with the balancing philosophy of yin and yang, is widely cited.​

Traditional

The traditional five spice is made of ground cloves, cinnamon, fennel seeds, star anise, and Szechuan pepper. This makes for a potent blend, and five spice is best used in moderation.

Chinese five spice can be used for seasoning meats and poultry, in marinades or in spice rubs. Because it is also sweet and aromatic, five spice can be used in flavoring desserts as well as savory dishes.

Make Your Own

You could blend your own five spice by grinding the spices yourself in a spice grinder or coffee grinder. Unfortunately, Szechuan pepper is not widely available, although it can be found in specialty spice shops or Asian markets. Also, the Szechuan peppers need to be toasted first, which adds another step to the process. Moreover, most stores sell bottled five spice powder, so it's really not necessary to make your own, especially if you won't be using very much of it.

The thing to remember with five spice powder is that its potency diminishes rapidly once the spices are ground. Thus, your five-spice powder (and indeed all ground spices) should be stored in an airtight container and away from heat (i.e., not near the stove).

What Five Spices Make up Chinese Five Spice? (2024)

FAQs

What is Chinese 5 Spice made of? ›

Five spice is a blend of star anise, cloves, cinnamon, Sichuan peppercorns and fennel seeds. If you don't have Sichuan peppercorns to hand, you could substitute them for black peppercorns – the flavour will still be nice, although it won't have the same heat.

Is there a difference between 5 Spice and Chinese 5 Spice? ›

In the culinary arts, five spice (also known as Chinese five spice) is a blend of ground spices used in Chinese and Vietnamese cooking.

What is 5 spice and 7 spice? ›

To start with, Chinese five spice is Chinese in origin. Seven spice powder is Japanese, and also called shichimi togarashi. Unlike Five Spice, Seven spice's foundation is comprised of chilis, dried orange peel, sesame seed, dried ginger, and seaweed, as well as Sichuan peppercorns.

What is allspice made of? ›

Allspice is the dried brown berry of the tropical Pimenta dioica tree, a clove relative native to the West Indies and Central America. It got its name in the 17th century, when allspice berries were first imported to Europe, since it's said to taste like a combination of clove, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

What can I substitute Chinese 5 spices with? ›

Whilst you're never going to get the classic flavour that Chinese 5 spice provides with a substitute, there are some seasonings that come pretty close. Star anise, allspice, garam masala, sichuan peppercorns and cinnamon sticks are all worthy replacements – but the real stuff is always best!

Is Thai 7 spice the same as Chinese 5 spice? ›

The Thai equivalent of the Chinese five spice or the Indian garam masala, this is an all-purpose seasoning blend which is used in Thai style stir fries to bring out the full flavour of the food.

What is in 13 spice? ›

If toping up Five Spices ingredients with nutmeg(肉蔻), aged tangerine peel (陳皮), fructus amomi (砂仁), angelica dahurica (白芷), Rosa banksiae (木香), Alpinia zerumbet (月桃 a.k.a. 良薑), Kaempferia galanga (a.k.a. sand ginger 三奈), Amomum cardamomum (白蔻) you will have Thirteen Spices (十三香), another very widely used condiment in ...

Why is Chinese 5 spice so good? ›

Chinese 5 spice is one of the most famous flavor in culinary world. Using this spice will give your cooking an Asian and Middle East taste. The combination of cinnamon, star anise, fennel seed, Sichuan pepper, and cloves creates an amazing sweet and spicy taste in the incredible fragrance.

Can I use Chinese 5 spice instead of allspice? ›

The warm, spicy-sweet flavor of allspice is very similar to that of five-spice powder, a blend of cinnamon, star anise, fennel, cloves, and ginger or pepper. Use equal parts of five-spice powder in place of the ground allspice called for in a recipe—it's great for both savory and sweet applications.

Is garam masala all spice? ›

Garam masala is a warming blend of spices like coriander, cumin, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, cardamom and nutmeg. First, whole spices are toasted in a dry pan for a minute to release flavor oils, then freshly ground.

What is apple pie spice made of? ›

What is apple pie spice made of? Most pre-made apple pie spices are made from a mixture of cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice, but some also might contain cardamom and ginger, too, depending on the brand.

What is the closest spice to allspice? ›

Substitutes for Allspice include using a combination of cloves, nutmeg, and cinnamon as well as similar spice blends such as pumpkin pie spice (with some added pepper to achieve the savory notes of allspice) or apple pie spice.

Is Chinese five spice healthy? ›

While you're unlikely to eat enough Chinese 5 Spice to derive great nutritional benefits from it, the spices included in this mix are rich in antioxidants and are also a terrific source of minerals such as copper, iron, and manganese.

Does Chinese five spice contain MSG? ›

McCormick Culinary Chinese Five Spice is kosher and made with no added MSG.

Is 13 spice powder the same as 5 spice powder? ›

It is like an upgrade version of Five Spices, meaning it has a deeper, profound flavor profile. Thirteen Spices has similar function as Five Spices, but it works better to remove stronger odor from meat such as lamb or deer, or for a cuisine that requires stronger seasonings e.g. a Sichuan spicy hot pot.

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