Chinese five spice powder can be made with many variations and you can make it yourself. The key to Chinese five spice powder or when making Chinese five spice is that you must keep in mind the thought behind the mixture.
The spice mix must be a balance of tastes, flavors and aromas. Chinese philosophy is ingrained in cooking and the spice mix is no exception. It must be perfectly balanced as in sweetness, saltiness, spiciness and tartness or sourness. Chinese five spice is similar to India's garam masala spice mixture. Some variations of Chinese five spice powder are the use of cassia, cloves, star anise, fennel and sichuan pepper. Another variation might be cinnamon, cloves, anise and ginger. Sometimes salt and white pepper are also used in the mix.
You can purchase Chinese five spice powder in Asian markets or food specialty stores. You will definitely find it being used in Chinese cuisine in restaurants. It is most generally used in small quantities in meat dishes like pork, chicken and duck. You can make your own Chinese five spice powder yourself! You can get the main ingredients in their basic forms and try various combinations until you find one or a few that you personally like or go well with certain dishes. Lets get cooking!