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EveryParampara

Traditions with five-spice

Five-spice powder, a Chinese blend of star anise, cloves, Chinese cinnamon, Sichuan pepper and fennel seed, is meant to balance the five flavours, sweet, sour, bitter, pungent and salty, and relates to the five elements of Chinese thought.

Five-spice powder, a Chinese blend of star anise, cloves, Chinese cinnamon, Sichuan pepper and fennel seed, is meant to balance the five flavours, sweet, sour, bitter, pungent and salty, and relates to the five elements of Chinese thought. It seasons roast duck, red-braised pork, marinades and snacks, and appears in Vietnamese and Taiwanese cooking. Its use is part of the celebration foods of the new year. These pages describe where it is used and what it means.

Where it is used

In southern China, five-spice goes on roast meats and char siu. In Taiwan, it flavours braised pork rice, lu rou fan, and in Vietnam, it is in the marinades of roast duck and the Tet dish thit kho. In Malaysia and Singapore, it is part of the five-spice rolls, ngoh hiang, and in the Chinese kitchens of the Caribbean and Peru, it is used in chifa.

What it means

The idea of five, for elements and flavours, runs through Chinese tradition, and a balanced blend reflects the aim of harmony in food. At Lunar New Year, a table of braised and roasted dishes seasoned with five-spice stands for prosperity. Families hand down their own proportions, and the smell of a bubbling pot is part of the festive season in Chinese homes around the world.

About this page

Written by the EveryParampara desk with AI assistance. Background on Five-spice (spice). Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.

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MealBreakfastLunchDinnerSupperTea-time and snacking customsTea, coffee and drinking ceremoniesSweets given and sharedFeasts and festival mealsFasting and breaking the fast

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