7 whole star anise
1 stick cinnamon, broken into small pieces
12 whole cloves
1 tbsp whole fennel seeds
1 tbsp whole Sichuan peppercorns
Make yourself a batch of this homemade Chinese five spice – so much more fragrant than the store-bought version! To get the best flavour from this dried spice combo, try and use it within a year.
PREP TIME
5 minutes
COOK TIME
10 minutes
SERVES
Makes about 1/4 cup
Ingredients
Steps
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Place the star anise, cinnamon and cloves in a dry frying pan over medium-high heat and cook, stirring and shaking the pan, for 4-5 minutes or until fragrant and just starting to smoke. Remove from heat and transfer the spices to a plate or bowl and allow to cool. Now do the same process with the fennel seeds and Sichuan peppercorns but these will only take 2-3 minutes.
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Use a coffee or spice grinder to grind to a fine powder. Sieve to remove any larger pieces of spices and simply remove them with a spoon. Store in an airtight container.
What is Chinese 5 spice made up of?
Chinese 5 spice is an ingredient seen often in Chinese recipes. But what exactly IS Chinese 5 spice? 5 spice is a combination of cinnamon, star anise, fennel seeds and cloves – the 5th ingredient can vary across recipes, we use sichuan peppercorns. But ginger and white pepper are also commonly used as the fifth component.
What can I substitute for Chinese 5 spice powder?
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 Chinese 5 spice like allspice?
Whilst Chinese 5 spice and allspice might seem pretty similar at first glance – there is one VERY big difference. Chinese 5 spice is a combination of 5 different spices, whereas allspice is a single spice, made up of dried fruit from the Pimenta diocia plant.
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