Five-spice powder
A Chinese blend of five warming spices, anchored by star anise and cassia, balancing the five tastes.
Also: wu xiang fen, ngu vi huong, Chinese five spice
Five-spice powder, wu xiang fen in Mandarin, is a ground mix generally containing star anise, cassia or cinnamon, cloves, Sichuan pepper and fennel seed. The number five links to Chinese ideas of balance, in which sweet, sour, bitter, pungent and salty tastes are meant to be present. Proportions differ by region and cook. It flavours roast duck and pork, red-braised dishes, marinades, and the Taiwanese and Vietnamese dishes where it has become standard. A pinch is plenty, since star anise and clove dominate easily. The Vietnamese version, ngu vi huong, often leans sweeter.