Source: NYT cooking
Happy 2025 and happy January! Firstly, we would like to thank you, avid readers, for continually stopping by to read our musings and ingredient lores. It means so much to us, and we cannot wait to continue these conversations here at Marupo’s Tea Room.
Now on to today’s topic! In celebration of a new year, we will be introducing you to - drum roll please - five-spice powder! Falai loves basking in its fragrance, not to mention it is such a handy condiment to have in the kitchen. It is used in Marupo Eat’s newest char siu rice!
In this post, we will cover:
What five-spice powder contains
How it compares to garam masala
How to make your own five-spice powder
How it is used
🍂 What is five-spice powder?
Five-spice powder, or wu xiang fen (五香粉) in Mandarin Chinese, is a spice blend that traditionally consists of five ingredients. Each of these spices represents five flavors - sweet (甜), sour (酸), bitter (苦),, salty (鹹), and spicy (辣).
While the history and origins of this mix are unclear, it is believed that this was a wonder powder that consisted of the five elements of wood, fire, metal, water and earth, represented by the five flavor profiles. Rumor also has it that a list of the five-spice powder was found in a cookbook dating back to the Song Dynasty (A.D. 930 to 1276), as part of a recipe for wet fermented soybeans.
Source: Spruce Eats
The kind of spices used in this powder can vary across regions as well as by personal preferences. But the typical components would include:
Star Anise – Adds a sweet, licorice-like aroma and flavor.
Cloves – Known for their warm, slightly bitter, and aromatic essence. Cloves lend a rich, spicy note that adds depth to the blend.
Chinese Cinnamon – This type of cinnamon is bolder and more intense than the common cinnamon you might find in Western recipes. It gives a warm, sweet, and mildly spicy undertone.
Sichuan Peppercorns – The hot spice of the mix, Sichuan peppercorns give a tingling, numbing sensation, adding complexity and heat to the spice mix.
Fennel Seeds – These seeds work together with the star anise and bring a sweet, slightly licorice-like flavor that balances out the stronger, spicier components in the blend.
Together, these spices create a perfect combination of savory, sweet, warm and spicy flavors! What’s more, the spices used in this magical blend are available all-year round. So you can make it anytime you want!
Source: Red House Spice
🍂 Is five-spice powder the same as garam masala?
Garam masala is a blend of spices that is often used in South Asian cuisine. While garam masala shares similar ingredients with the five-spice powder, such as cloves and cinnamon, the flavor profile and characteristics of these two blends are very different.
The core components of garam masala include: cumin, coriander seeds, cardamom, bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon, black pepper and nutmeg. This mix is best used in curries, stews and stir-fries!
Source: Roop Mahal Rice
🍂 Can I make my own five-spice powder?
Absolutely! There are simple, traditional recipes to follow like the one from Spruce Eats, which covers these five core ingredients.
If you would like to experiment with a few other variations, Woks of Life has a fun recipe where they substitute Sichuan peppercorns with other hot spices like sand ginger. They even talk about a 13 spices powder (十三香 pronounced as shi san xiang), which is an upgraded version of the five-spice powder.
🍂 How is it used?
Five-spice powder is very versatile! It goes very well in braised meat dishes, particularly fatty meats like pork belly and duck. In Chinese cooking, the blend is commonly used in five-spice roasted duck, char siu, and many more.
Because five-spice powder is a dry condiment, the aromatic flavors are typically released through heat. Rather than adding it at the end of a completed dish, the five-spice powder is mixed together with other condiments such as salt. Then, this mix is rubbed onto the meat and placed in an oven. Meanwhile for char siu, the five-spice powder is one of the ingredients in a marinade that is rubbed onto the pork.
You can also use five-spice powder in stir-fried dishes, such as this delicious stir-fried tofu with garlic chives, or in broth-based dishes like pho.
Source: The Woks of Life
Whilst it is a savory spice, the mix can also be used in desserts too such as bundt cake, and even fudge pops!
🍂 How do YOU use five-spice powder?
That’s it for now! Let us know in the comments how you use this flavorful mix in your cooking. And if any of you had any success making the five-spice bundt cake, please also leave a note here so Falai can come running to you for a slice.
Thank you and till next time!