spice powder contains an ingredient representing each of the five basic flavors- sweet, salty, bitter, sour and savory. Chinese foods often include savory as a flavor component. Chinese has a flavor that reflects its diverse ingredients. This makes it difficult to replicate the taste exactly, but it is possible to grind your own.
Grind Your Own
If you do not have or cannot find Chinese five spice powder you can grind your own. To make Chinese five grind together 1 tsp. fennel seeds, 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1 tsp. cloves, 1 tsp. star anise and 1 tsp. of roasted Szechuan peppercorns. If you are unable to find Szechuan peppercorns you can use black peppercorns but the flavor will be slightly different. This recipe will make 2 tbsps. of Chinese five spice powder.
Cayenne Pepper Mixture
If you do not have the correct ingredients on hand you can approximate the flavor of Chinese five spice powder with common spices. Mix together cayenne pepper, black pepper, fennel seeds, ground cloves and cinnamon. If you do not have fennel seeds available try ground coriander.
Allspice Mixture
If your supply of spices is very limited, use allspice and a little bit of ginger powder. Add some black pepper and you will have a spice mixture that works very well in many Chinese dishes such as stir fry and soups.
Cautions
Chinese five spice powder has a flavor that is sweet, spicy, and bitter all at the same time, and difficult to replicate exactly with substitutions. If you are using a five spice powder substitution in a marinade, the flavor difference will be subtle. However, the flavor difference with a substitution will be more noticeable if you are seasoning a main dish. Asian food stores often stock Chinese five spice powder in bulk so that you can purchase the exact amount you need instead of a large container.
Tags: five spice powder, spice powder, Chinese five, Chinese five spice, five spice, fennel seeds, black pepper