Classic blends
Thirteen-spice powder (shisanxiang)
A northern Chinese multi-spice powder with a long list of warm and aromatic ingredients.
Presented by ClearTrust Free for cooks, makers and the curious.
Shisanxiang, or thirteen spice, is a general-purpose seasoning in northern China, used for meat, dumpling fillings and stewed dishes. The number is traditional, and the actual list varies by maker, from ten to twenty or so items.
What goes in
- Fennel319%, Sweet.
- Sichuan pepper319%, Tingle.
- Star anise213%, Anise.
- Cassia213%, Warm.
- Dried ginger213%, Warmth.
- White pepper213%, Sharp.
- Clove16%, Strong.
- Nutmeg16%, Sweet.
Parts by volume of the whole spice. The ring shows each part's share.
Made step by step
Each drawing shows the operation for that step. Ratios and timings differ from house to house; this is one traditional-style way.
Step 1: Dry Dry all spices in a low oven until crisp. Step 2: Toast Toast the seeds in a dry pan. Step 3: Rest Cool the spices thoroughly. Step 4: Grind Grind everything to a fine powder in batches. Step 5: Blend Sieve and mix well. Step 6: Store Store airtight and use in pinches. Finished Thirteen-spice powder (shisanxiang), by share.
What is in it
Typical items include Sichuan pepper, star anise, cassia, clove, fennel, dried ginger, white pepper, cardamom, nutmeg, liquorice and bay leaf. Quantities are tuned to local taste.
Use
A pinch goes into dumpling meat, braised dishes and fried snacks. It is commonly sold in small paper packets by market stalls and by supermarkets.
Where it is used
The spices in it
FennelSweet.
NutmegWarm.
Sichuan pepperThe dried husk of Zanthoxylum fruit, prized for its citrus scent and electric numbness.
CinnamonThe dried inner bark of Cinnamomum trees, prized for its sweet warmth and essential oil.
GingerThe pungent rhizome of a flowering plant, widely used as a spice and folk medicine.
Black pepperThe dried fruit of a climbing vine, the world's most traded spice.
CloveThe dried flower bud of a tropical tree, prized for its intense warmth and numbing bite.Also part of it, and being written: Star anise (Anise note.).
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Sources and further reading
Original text and drawings by the EveryMasala desk, written with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. The shares are an illustrative, traditional-style ratio, not a standard: every family and maker blends differently. If we have something wrong, tell us.
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Sichuan pepper: Didier Descouens, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Clove: Bayu Nugroho, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Cinnamon: Luc Viatour, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Fennel: Elekes Andor, CC BY 4.0, source
- Ginger: Forest & Kim Starr, CC BY 3.0, source
- Black pepper: David Monniaux, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Nutmeg: Herusutimbul, CC BY-SA 4.0, source