What Is Five-Spice Powder?

Five-spice powder is a seasoning blend most often used in Chinese cuisine but also seen in other Asian cooking. This pungent seasoning is the traditional spice used in Peking duck, but its versatility means it's suited to an array of other dishes. Does this Spark an idea?

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Composition
- Five-spice powder is traditionally made from a blend of star anise, fennel, cassia, cloves and Szechuan peppercorns.
Flavor
- The seasoning blend is based on the Chinese concept of the opposing but complementary forces of yin and yang; the powder balances the flavors of sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and pungent.
Use
- Five-spice powder is well-suited to meat dishes, such as duck, pork and beef, as well as rice, stir-fries and vegetables.
Availability
- Five-spice powder is sold in some supermarkets, but for the best quality, shop at a specialty spice store or an Asian market.
Recipe
- To make your own five-spice powder, blend 1½ tbsp. star anise, 2½ tsp. fennel seeds, 1½ tsp. cassia or cinnamon, ½ tsp. Szechuan pepper and ½ tsp. cloves.

Photo Credit foodistablog/Flickr.com

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