Chinese Five Spice Mix

The spice mix is based on the Chinese philosophy of balancing the yin and yang in food and the sweet, spicy, warm aroma is enough to make your mouth water in anticipation.

A distinct licorice-like flavor thanks to the anise but it's also cool and deep because of the fennel. The cloves add a cooling sensation while the peppercorns add a numbing and peppery note

Five spice may be used with fatty meats such as pork and duck. It is used in stir-fried vegetables and as a spice rub for chicken, duck, pork and seafood.

Five spice is used in recipes for Cantonese roasted duck, as well as beef stew. It is used as a marinade for Vietnamese broiled chicken. The five-spice powder mixture has followed the Chinese diaspora and has been incorporated into other national cuisines throughout Asia.

In Hawaii, some restaurants place a shaker of the spice on each patron's table.

A seasoned salt can be easily made by dry-roasting common salt with five-spice powder under low heat in a dry pan until the spice and salt are well mixed.

Sprinkle about half a teaspoon over 16 ounces of vegetables, chicken or seafood while stir-frying.

To season roast or grilled meats, rub on with a little salt 20 minutes before cooking.

A seasoned salt can be easily made by dry-roasting common salt with five-spice powder under low heat in a dry pan until the spice and salt are well mixed.

Five-spice powder is a spice mixture of five or more spices used predominantly in almost all branches of Chinese cuisine. It is also used in Hawaiian cuisine and Vietnamese cuisine.

The five flavors of the spices refers to the five traditional Chinese elements, namely the five flavors of the spices - sweet, bitter, sour, salty and umami (savory).

Chinese Five Spice is a unique spice blend that’s been around for over 3,000 years. Though its exact origins are unknown, it’s believed that the Chinese were trying to create a “wonder powder” which incorporated all five tastes of Chinese cuisine – salty, sweet, sour, bitter, and spicy.

The number 5 has significance in Chinese food culture and in ancient medicinal texts. It was proposed that while nature was made up of five elements – wood, fire, water, earth, and metal – the human body needed five flavours to thrive as well. This highly aromatic spice epitomizes the flavour profile that’s so fundamental in Chinese cuisine.

Its creators believed the blend would help balance one’s yin and yang. In Asian philosophy, yin and yang refers to the way that opposites in nature are both connected and complimentary to one another.

Fresh, natural, pure herbs and spices blended and packed in Australia from imported and local ingredients then flown directly to our California Epicurean Kitchen.