Roasted Sweet Potatoes Recipe with Chinese Five-Spice Powder (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between five spice and Chinese five spice? ›

In the culinary arts, five spice (also known as Chinese five spice) is a blend of ground spices used in Chinese and Vietnamese cooking.

Salt, Pepper, and Butter – the OG classic way of serving your sweet potatoes. Greek Yogurt and Green Onion – one of my personal favorites! you can do sour cream instead of Greek Yogurt if you prefer. Maple Syrup, Cinnamon, and Butter – ok, I'm a big fan of savory but this combo is also a favorite!

Five-spice powder (Chinese: 五香粉; pinyin: wǔxiāng fěn) is a spice mixture of five or more spices used predominantly in almost all branches of Chinese cuisine.

Although it's not spicy-hot, it is rather intense. “Less is more” is a good rule of thumb to use when cooking with it. With that in mind, feel free to experiment. It's such an easy way to add complex flavor to a dish, it's almost like cheating!

One of its best uses is as a spice rub or marinade for fatty meats like pork, duck, or goose. Chinese Five Spice is integral to any traditional Peking duck recipe. But it can work surprisingly well with lamb, beef, and meatballs too.

You can swap Chinese five spice with a mix of ground cinnamon and ground star anise. This will give you the spiciness and warmth of cinnamon and the licorice taste of star anise.

What is Chinese 5 spice made up of? Chinese 5 spice is an ingredient seen often in Chinese recipes. But what exactly IS Chinese 5 spice? 5 spice is a combination of cinnamon, star anise, fennel seeds and cloves – the 5th ingredient can vary across recipes, we use sichuan peppercorns.

Reduce blood pressure

The Chinese 5 spice ingredients are commonly excellent to regulate blood pressure level. Especially the fennel seed and cinnamon which is able to prevent blood clotting and improve blood circulation within the blood vessel. The proper circulation will keep the blood pressure in check.

The secret to crispy (instead of soggy) sweet potato fries is to spread them out in an even layer with enough room so that they don't touch. This is especially important if you're making a big batch of fries. Instead of just piling more onto one baking pan, spread them out over two baking pans or cook them in batches.

Sweet potatoes have a higher sugar/starch content than regular potatoes, which causes the outside of the potato to brown or burn much more quickly, preventing the French fry from obtaining as crispy of a shell.

What country is Chinese five spice powder from? ›

Originated in Southern China, Chinese five-spice contains star anise, fennel seeds, szechuan peppercorns, cloves, and cinnamon. It is believed that the Chinese were attempting to produce a “wonder powder” encompassing all of the five elements-- wood, fire, earth, metal, and water.

The five spices referenced in the name are usually star anise, fennel, cinnamon, Sichuan peppercorns, and cloves, but some variants include ginger root, anise seed, cumin, and white pepper.

Chinese Five Spice Powder goes beyond being a culinary gem; it holds cultural significance and symbolic meanings in Chinese culture. Traditionally, the blend symbolizes harmony and balance, representing the five elements: wood, fire, earth, metal, and water.

Five-spice powder adds a spicy kick to dry rubs or marinades for meat, fish, or poultry. It goes particularly well with pork or you can rub it onto chicken before you roast it. It will also add a Chinese twist to vegetables and even to a fruit salad.

The warm, spicy-sweet flavor of allspice is very similar to that of five-spice powder, a blend of cinnamon, star anise, fennel, cloves, and ginger or pepper. Use equal parts of five-spice powder in place of the ground allspice called for in a recipe—it's great for both savory and sweet applications.

This mix of naturally sweet carrots, beets and squash marries so nicely with the five spice. It is a side dish worthy of a place on your dinner plate.

McCormick Culinary Chinese Five Spice features a warm, spicy yet sweet flavor through a premium mix of anise, cinnamon, star anise, cloves, and ginger. Blended especially for chefs, McCormick Culinary Chinese Five Spice is a culinary-grade blend of authentic spices to give recipes made-from-scratch flavor and aroma.