Five-Spice Powder

Five-spice powder, less commonly known as five-flavoured powder or five-fragrance-spice powder, is available in the spice section of many supermarkets and in Chinese shops. In Hong Kong, chefs are using this traditional spice in innovative ways, such as marinating the inside of a Peking Duck. This brownish powder is a mixture of star anise, Sichuan peppercorns, fennel, cloves and cinnamon. A good blend is pungent, fragrant, spicy and slightly sweet at the same time. The exotic fragrance it gives to a dish makes the search for a good mixture well worth the effort.