Sichuan Five Spice Powder Recipe

Sichuan five spice powder is a Chinese staple that is used to provide warmth, heat, and spice to many recipes. Making it yourself is easy, and a great way to amp up the flavor. According to food blogger Ksenia Prints of At the Immigrant's Table, this five spice powder — star anise, cloves, cinnamon, fennel seed, and Sichuan peppercorn — is at the heart of most Sichuan, or Szechwan,  cuisine.

While Sichuanese food is known for being hot, this spice blend is not particularly spicy. It is pungent, however, and we recommend using it sparingly to add depth to your stews and stir fries. Making the blend yourself really improves its potency — just don't keep your spices near the oven. Use it as a rub for meats and seafood, in stews and stir fries, or use it in place of pumpkin pie spice to take desserts to another level. Keep reading to find out how to make this easy five spice powder blend. 

As the name suggests, you need 5 spices to make this spice blend: cinnamon, fennel seeds, Sichuan peppercorns, cloves, and star anise.We strongly recommend you use whole spices for making this blend. If you can find it, use Chinese cinnamon, also known as Cassia cinnamon, for making the spice blend.

The secret ingredient that makes this blend is Sichuan peppercorns. Sichuan pepper is not a pepper, but actually the red berries of the prickly ash tree, which is a part of the citrus family. As a result, Sichuan peppercorns have citrusy notes, and looks a bit like dried flowers. Eating Sichuan peppercorns creates a tingling sensation that numbs the tongue, which is often paired with other spicier peppers to numb their intensity (via Britannica).

First, preheat a pan over medium heat. Add the whole fennel seeds, Sichuan peppercorns, cloves, and star anise. If you are using whole cinnamon, add it to the pan as well. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the spices become fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes.

If you have a spice grinder, or a blender with a flat blade, add the the whole, toasted spices. Blend until fully processed into a fine powder, about 1 to 2 minutes, stopping a couple of times to stir the spices, and to scrape the walls with a spatula.

If you only have a mortar and pestle, transfer the whole toasted spices, and applying strength, pound the spices until they are broken into pieces, about 1 to 2 minutes. Then, making a grinding motion, continue squishing the spices until they are ground into a powder, about 5 minutes.

Transfer the ground spices to a small, glass jar. If you are using ground cinnamon, mix that in now. This Sichuan five spice powder will stay fresh for about 1 month in an airtight jar or container in a dark, cool place (not by the stove, since the heat from  cooking can ruin your spices). Use as needed in recipes for mapo tofu, 5-spice pork stir fry, and seafood marinades like this calamari recipe.