Exploring Chinese Herbs and Spices

Chinese cooking involves some exotic herbs and spices that are getting easier to find in your local supermarket. Excite your palate and try some of these herbs and spices the next time you cook a Chinese meal.

Unless otherwise indicated, store each of these spices in a jar (preferably glass) with a tightly fitting lid in a cool, dry place. They'll keep for several months.

Chinese five-spice powder
This light cocoa-colored powder originally contained five specific spices. Nowadays, it contains more, including cinnamon, star anise, fennel, clove, ginger, licorice, Sichuan peppercorn, and dried tangerine peel. It has an unmistakable cinnamon and anise flavor that's perfect with braised meats, roasts, barbecues, and red-cooked dishes. Stored properly, this will keep for a year.

Chinese hot mustard
You might already know this fiery, pungent, horseradish-like condiment. It's so piquant and distinctive that it makes a perfect crossover flavoring agent and condiment for many Western recipes.

Chinese hot mustards are available already prepared or in powdered form. Store opened containers of prepared mustard in the refrigerator. Powdered or prepared, it'll keep for several months.

Ginger
This pale golden, knobby, hand-shaped "root" smells great and has a spicy bite and natural sweetness. Slice, julienne, mince, or grate fresh ginger for dressings, sauces, and marinades. Include it in poultry, meat, seafood, and vegetable dishes.

Fresh ginger is hard, heavy, and free of wrinkles and mold. It's available year-round in the produce section. Young ginger is more delicate in flavor and texture, and is available in summer and fall. Store mature ginger in a cool, dry place for up to a couple weeks. Alternatively, peel and place it in a jar with rice wine sherry and refrigerate for up to several months.

Sichuan peppercorns
Black peppercorns are no substitute for these dried, reddish brown berries with a unique woodsy fragrance. To give red-cooked dishes and stir-fries a distinctive Chinese flavor, stick with Sichuan when it comes to peppercorns.

Toast a handful of them in a dry frying pan over low heat until they become fragrant and then add them to your recipe. You can work with either whole peppercorns or ones that are crushed to a fine or coarse powder.

Sichuan peppercorns are available in plastic bags. Some packages label them "wild" or "red" pepper; don't let the latter name confuse you — these are not the same as red chile peppers.


Star anise
These approximately 1-inch, star-shaped pods have points, each containing a shiny, mahogany-colored seed. It has a licorice flavor that complements meats and poultry in red-cooked and barbecued dishes.

Use it to make rich braising sauces and stews. Don't eat the whole spice; just let it infuse the sauce or braising liquid. Ground star anise goes into flavoring powders (like Chinese five-spice powder) and in dipping sauces.

You can find whole and ground star anise in plastic packages and small jars. Broken stars are unavoidable, given their delicate points. Eight broken points still equal one whole pod. Store whole and powdered star anise in separate jars