A blend of five unique spices, Chinese spice powder usually spices including anise, peppercorns, cloves, fennel, and cinnamon. However, the ratio of each depends on the merchant. Each of the five spices has an individual flavor recognizable independently. All of them combine to create a warm and cool flavor that transforms any recipe into a delicious bite. Preparing Chinese spice powder requires long cooking time to develop a balanced complex flavor.
Origin Of Chinese Spice Powder
This unique blend of spices has existed for over 3,000 years. It is believed that the Chinese attempt at creating a ‘wonder powder’ incorporating the five tastes into a single led to its creation. Five is very significant in Chinese food culture and ancient medicinal text. Nature has five elements including fire, wood, earth, water, and metal. The human body needs to give flavors to thrive including sweet, salty, bitter, sour, and spicy. These aromas epitomize the fundamental Chinese cuisine to balance Yin and Yang.
Chinese Spice Powder Taste
Pungent Taste
Stimulatory component including capsaicin in chili pepper promotes a pungent taste in Chinese spice powder. The taste makes you feel the heat that boosts the digestive system. Chinese spice powder sometimes contains Szechuan pepper rich in vitamins including carotenes, vitamin A, and pyridoxine. The pepper is also rich in minerals including copper, potassium, and iron vital in hemoglobin for carrying oxygen in the red blood vessels.
Sweet Taste
Chinese five spice powder has a sweet taste for nourishing body components high in minerals. The sweet taste is an anabolic action that influences tissue and muscle gain. Additionally, it also promotes pancreatic and enzyme activity. The sweet taste in five spice powder comes from cinnamon rich in antioxidants. Its anti-inflammatory effects lessen the risk of disease. Cinnamon reduces blood sugar levels and mimics insulin to lessen the chances of diabetes. It also has a pungent taste that pacifies Vata.
Fennel seeds are rich in antioxidants including vitamin C, folate, potassium, and vitamin B-6 that strengthen the immune system. The significant fiber amount and no cholesterol make fennel lessen the risk of heart disease. Anise is rich in essential minerals including calcium, iron, and manganese. It is also rich in antioxidants for preventing chronic disease through lessening inflammation. Fennel has a bitter pungent taste as well for pacifying Pitta and Vata.
Bitter Taste
A bitter taste in the body promotes the secretion of bile essential for digestion and fats and fat-soluble vitamin absorption. The high isothiocyanate in the bitter taste also prevents cancer according to research. Cloves enhance anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antiseptic properties in the body. This is through offering high vitamin A levels. The cloves also enhance digestion by promoting digestive enzyme production. Cloves also contribute to the pungent taste and is very heating to pacify Kapha and Vata.
The above flavors of Chinese spice powder are great additions to fatty meats and on a barbeque, rubs, baked goods, and sauces.
Health Benefits Of Five Spice Powder
Each component of five spice powder has several health benefits individually. Anise is rich in polyphenols and flavonoids. These compounds have antioxidant properties for a healthy body free from various diseases. Flavonoids effectively fight inflammation throughout the body. Cloves have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. These also contain manganese, fiber, vitamin K, vitamin C, and eugenol for easing digestion
Cinnamon is rich in various compounds having anti-inflammatory properties for lessening the possibility of chronic disease and cellular damage. Also rich in antioxidants, peppercorns stimulate digestion, lessen inflammation, and stimulate blood circulation. Low in calorie, fennel seeds are rich in various nutrients including calcium, magnesium, vitamin C, and potassium. Fennel is also rich in anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidants, and anti-microbial properties.
Cooking With Five Spice Powder
There are various ways to use Chinese spice powder including in cocktails and roasted meats. The spice blend is ideal to create an exotic flavor on chicken wings teamed with soy sauce and honey. Adding baked ham with duck sauce complements the mixture. Using five spice powder for a rub gives warmth and complexity with its blend of ingredients. Chinese spice powder is also applied to roasted vegetables and to give plain rice some flavor. You can also give cakes and other deserts an interesting savory twist.
You can use five spice powder to make various roasted and braised Chinese dishes such as Char Siu. The powder is also ideal for marinades and shines in fatty meat dishes to enhance the rich flavor. Additionally, Chinese spice powder is ideal in making sweet dishes including pumpkin pie. It effectively substitutes traditional pumpkin pie spice.
In conclusion
Chinese spice powder allows preparing moth watering dishes with immense health benefits. The five spices blended to make this powder are rich in antioxidants, anti-inflammation, and anti-microbial properties. When looking forward to giving your taste buds a roller-coaster ride, you can order your five spice powder online today and get more than you paid for.