Chinese Five Spice Blend

Chinese Five Spice (5 Spice) is the iconic union of five powerful ingredients: star anise, Sichuan pepper, fennel seeds, cassia and clove. The spice mix has a strong aniseed flavour, overlaid with warm, peppery notes.

Known as “Wu Xiang Fen” in Mandarin, Chinese Five Spice was first created to represent the perfect partnership of Yin and Yang. It is believed to contain the five main flavours within Chinese cooking: sweet, sour, bitter, salty, and savoury.

The spice mix holds deep cultural significance throughout Chinese cuisine. Being one of the essential flavour profiles in traditional Chinese cooking, you’ll always find this 5 Spice being used in festive dishes and during important occasions, such as Chinese New Year celebrations.

This product works perfectly within stir-fries or with fatty meats like duck, goose and pork belly. It is either rubbed all over to season the meat before cooking or mixed with fresh ginger and soy sauce to make a marinade.

The spice mix is also found in some sweet dishes such as chocolate tortes, biscuits and loaf cakes and even fruit-based dishes. It adds a hint of warmth and complexity to the sweetness.

Additionally, in traditional Chinese medicine, it’s always been believed that the 5 spices hold various health benefits. For example, star anise can be used to aid digestion, while Sichuan peppercorns are known for their warmth and potential to alleviate certain ailments.

Try our recipes for Five Spice Chinese Chicken, Chinese style sweet ‘n’ sour meatballs or our Gourmet Sichuan and Plum Cooking Sauce!

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