Chinese five-spice

Cinq-épices chinois

What it is

Star anise, cassia, clove, fennel and Sichuan pepper is the classic set, but the five is doctrine rather than inventory — it names the five flavours of Chinese medicine, and plenty of commercial blends carry six or seven spices. Read the composition on a Cantonese jar and you will rarely land on five.

In the kitchen

It is anise-led and takes over fast: a level teaspoon per 500 g of meat. Add it with the braising liquid rather than the first sizzle of oil, since clove and cassia scorch and turn acrid.

Goes with

Pork Duck Soy sauce Shaoxing wine Ginger Chinese rock sugar Star anise Orange

Also used with

Pekin duck Vital wheat gluten Chinese rose wine

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