Contents
This seasoning is used in almost every Asian cuisine. It is impossible to prepare Beijing duck, lots of meat, vegetables, and seafood without it. This seasoning can liven up the blandest dish. Even in desserts, it is used by the Chinese people.
Seasoning 5 spices – is a mandatory attribute of a Chinese restaurant, after all, it is the personification of the balance of the 5 basic taste sensations:
- sweet
- sour
- bitter
- sharp
- and salty.
The balance of these 5 flavors based on the philosophy of Yin and Yang and creates the right combination of opposites in the fragrances and taste of the dishes.
Called “5 spice”, it should be noted, rather arbitrary: i.e. there are no mandatory five spices that should be part of the mix. The composition and proportions of the contents of the seasoning can change. So, often composed of a mixture of cinnamon (or of Cassia), fennel, cloves, star anise, and licorice root. This option is called “Usermane” and a spicy-sweet condiment is the most “gentle” of the varieties of “five spices”. Pangman looks like a light brown powder and has sweet, a bit “middle East” and a very spicy taste which is great with almost any red meat.
Also the “5 spices” can consist of nutmeg, Szechwan pepper (huajiao), white pepper, ginger, white cardamom, black cardamom (zaoga), kaempferia galang (sand ginger), orange (or tangerine) zest, spice Sha Zhen and other spices.
Even such popular varieties of this compound, which consists of star anise, Sichuan pepper (hu jiao), cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg. It’s a spicy and slightly sweet mixture. Great for barbecue and a variety of marinades.
How to cook mix “5 spices” at home
Cook the spices. Calcinate them (each separately) on a dry pan so that it becomes audible to their flavor. After you grind spices to a powder and mix them together. Store the mixture in an airtight container, in a dry and dark place.
There is a lot of applications of this mixture – the most popular is to marinate the duck, pork ribs, or chicken wings before baking on the grill.
Below you may watch the video instruction on cooking the 5 spices at home:
