Chinese Five-Spice Powder

Makes roughly 1/4 cup

INGREDIENTS

     2 whole star anise
     2 teaspoons Szechuan peppercorns (or generic peppercorns)
     1 teaspoon cloves
     1 teaspoon fennel
     1 teaspoon coriander seed (optional)
     1 cassia or cinnamon stick, broken into a few pieces

METHOD

In a dry pan over medium heat, toast the anise, peppercorns, cloves, fennel, and coriander (if using) until fragrant. Swirl the pan gently and toss the seeds occasionally to prevent burning. Allow to cool.

Add the seeds and cinnamon sticks to a spice grinder. Grind for twenty seconds until a fine powder is formed. If large pieces remain, grind for another 5 - 10 seconds.

Store the blend in an airtight spice jar out of the light. It's best to make small batches so that the blend is still very fresh when you use it, but the spice blend will also store for several months.

This recipe can be found at theKitchn