What is Chinese 5 spice powder, Chinese Five spice powder?

Chinese Five Spice Powder is widely used to season meats or vegetables in Chinese cuisine. As the name suggests, this is a mixture of five spices. It may be made at home or purchased from the market where it is readily available under different brand names. A little of this pungent mix goes a long way, giving dishes a balanced mix of sweet, savoury, bitter and sour flavours. The traditional spices that go into this mix are star anise, Szechuan peppercorns, fennel, cinnamon and clove. Combined together, these spices create a balance of flavours, heat and mouth-feel, which enhance the qualities of the dish without overwhelming it. To make it at home, combine all the five spices, roast them and powder them finely.

How to select Chinese 5 spice powder, Chinese Five spice powder

Always use fresh ingredients when making this powder at home. When buying readymade from the market, check the expiry date and the seal of the pack.

Culinary Uses of Chinese 5 spice powder, Chinese Five spice powder in Indian Cooking

This powder is used in most of the Chinese recipes to add an extra punch and flavour.
This powder can also be used in other Indian recipes when a more spicy and pungent flavour is required.

Rice made using Chinese 5 spice powder

1. 5 spice mushroom rice recipe | five spice mushroom rice | Chinese five spice rice | how to make 5 spice rice is a famous delicacy from Chinese cuisine.

Five-Spice Powder is a must-have ingredient in any Chinese kitchen. Made of aromatic spices like fennel and cloves, this spice powder elevates the flavour and aroma of any dish it is added to, giving a facelift to even bland ingredients like mushroom as you will see in this recipe of Chinese five spice rice.

2. 5 spice fried rice recipe | Chinese veg 5 spice fried rice |

How to store Chinese 5 spice powder, Chinese Five spice powder

Always store the Chinese Five Spice Powder in an air-tight container at room temperature.

Health benefits of Chinese 5 spice powder, Chinese Five spice powder

While there is no known benefit of 5 spice powder, each of the spices used in the powder has its own health benefits. The active compound eugenol in clove and antioxidant in cinnamon helps to reduce the oxidative stress in the body by helping ward off the free radicals. Cinnamon is also known to manage blood sugar levels and benefit diabetics. The shikimic acid present in the star anise possess the strength to fight bacteria and virus and on the other hand fennel seeds aid in digestion. However since the powder is used in very small quantities, its overall benefits are yet to be researched.

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