The five spices refer to five spices: Sichuan peppercorn, star anise, cassia bark, clove, and fennel

Five-spice is a traditional concept in Chinese seasoning, usually referring to the combination of five spices: Sichuan peppercorn, star anise, cassia bark, clove, and fennel. The flavor they create together is salty, aromatic, and full-bodied; they can remove rank odors and cut greasiness while adding aroma to dishes, which is why it is called five-spice. Besides being used whole, grinding these spices in proportion into powder produces the common five-spice powder.

Five-spice is not an unchanging fixed recipe; different regions and households adjust it flexibly according to taste. Some places replace one or two of them with dried tangerine peel, dried ginger, or licorice, and the ingredient lists of five-spice powder on the market also vary. The overall requirement is that the aromas are harmonious and layered, highlighting a complex flavor that is salty, savory, and sweet in aftertaste.

From an agricultural perspective, most of the spices involved in five-spice are important cash crops. Star anise and cinnamon mostly grow in the warm, humid mountainous areas of the south, Sichuan peppercorn is drought-tolerant and poor-soil-tolerant with strong adaptability, fennel is cultivated in many production areas, and clove is a tropical crop. These spices are mostly perennial trees or shrubs, and once planted they can be harvested for many years, making them a distinctive planting project that increases income for farmers in some regions.

In daily use, whole spices are suitable for braising, stewing, and boiling, as they can release aroma over a long time, and they are often used to make braised pork, five-spice tea eggs, five-spice peanuts, and five-spice dried tofu; five-spice powder is better suited for marinating, mixing fillings, or coating before frying. Note that the amount should not be too much, especially clove, which easily turns bitter if overused. Spices should be sealed, kept away from light, and stored in a dry place to avoid moisture and flavor transfer.