Chinese Five Spice (made Easy)

Total Time: 5 mins Preparation Time: 5 mins

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon clove
• 1 tablespoon fennel
• 1 tablespoon star anise
• 1 tablespoon szechuan peppercorn

Recipe

• 1 note: some five-spice recipes will have you toast the whole fennel and star anise first. you may do this, but i generally prefer not to for a clean, fresh flavor. however, if using the spice specifically for barbecued meats or pho soup, i recommend lightly toasting them first in a dry skillet over medium heat for a smoky flavor before the final grinding. you may substitute the szechuan peppercorn with pepper, which is a popular blend for use in chinese cookery. keep in mind -- "a little bit of five spice powder goes a long way". when seasoning foods, start with a small amount, then adjust accordingly.
• 2 measure all ingredients into a clean spice mill or coffee grinder, whether whole or ground, using pre-ground cinnamon as the only exception: 1 tablespoon cinnamon, 1 tablespoon cloves, 1 tablespoon fennel, 1 tablespoon star anise, 1 tablespoon szechuan peppercorn.
• 3 grind mixture in a clean spice mill or coffee grinder in 15-30 second increments, until mixture is finely powderized.
• 4 store in an airtight container.
• 5 use measure-for-measure in any recipe calling for chinese five spice powder.