Five Tastes to Health

Chinese five spice powder 五香粉 is a popular seasoning in Cantonese cuisine. It consists of cinnamon, cloves, fennel seed, star anise, and szechuan pepper from the prickly ash tree. There are several variations and the szechuan pepper is often substituted with black or white pepper.

“Five spice” refers to the fact that the blend incorporates the five basic tastes that are the basis of Traditional Chinese Medicine—sweet, sour, bitter, pungent, and salty. The formula is based on the Chinese philosophy of balancing yin and yang.

The taste of an herb helps to determine its heating or cooling energy as well as many of its therapeutic qualities. The various energies and tastes of the herbs are absorbed by specific organs and are each necessary for balance. A small amount of each will strengthen its corresponding organ, but in excess will weaken them.

The tastes also help us understand what an herb is useful for. Pungent (spicy) herbs are warming and stimulate circulation. They can help with poor digestion, feelings of coldness, mucus production and colds. The salty taste is cold in energy and stabilizes fluid. The sour taste is cooling, drying, and astringent. It dries mucus or excess moisture, tightens and tones tissues and muscles. The bitter taste is cooling, drying, detoxifying, and anti-inflammatory. It stimulates the secretion of bile, which in turn stimulates digestive juices and normal elimination. The sweet taste strengthens and builds those with weakness, lack of energy and builds blood.

The five spice combination is stimulating to metabolism and circulation, being warming and energizing. It also contains a number of carminative herbs, which are rich in essential oils and by their action support digestion, relax the stomach, and help to prevent and dispel gas. Often the classic spice combinations have developed over time to help make our food more digestible and healthy, to preserve it, to help us adjust to climactic conditions, and to balance the energy of the food (For example in India, curry warms a generally cool vegetarian diet).

Five spice powder is used on a myriad of dishes from a braising for meat, a sauce for vegetables, soup, stirfrys, or a dressing for fruit salad. It is very strong and a little goes a long way. Enjoy!

Five Spice Tofu

1 block firm tofu
¼ cup tamari
2T toasted sesame oil
3 cloves garlic
1 T ginger, freshly grated
½ t 5 spice powder 

Chinese Five Spice Slaw

1 pound red cabbage
1 pound green cabbage
¼ cup rice wine vinegar
¼ cup toasted sesame oil
¼ cup tamari
¼ cup honey
1 T five spice powder
¼ cup sesame seeds
½ cup green onions
4 cloves garlic
cilantro to taste (optional)

shred cabbage or slice finely. Mix other ingredients for dressing and toss with cabbage. Garnish with sesame seeds and cilantro.

Five Spice Tofu

1 block firm tofu
¼ cup tamari
2 T toasted sesame oil
3 cloves garlic
1 T ginger, freshly grated
½ t 5 spice powder

mix all ingredients for marinade. cut tofu into ½” slices and marinate for at least 15 min. tofu can be sautéed in oil on stovetop or baked in oven at 350 on a greased pan until brown (~15min on each side).

Chinese Five Spice Slaw

1 pound red cabbage
1 pound green cabbage
¼ cup rice wine vinegar
¼ cup toasted sesame oil
¼ cup tamari
¼ cup honey
1 T five spice powder
¼ cup sesame seeds
½ cup green onions
4 cloves garlic
cilantro to taste (optional)

shred cabbage or slice finely. Mix other ingredients for dressing and toss with cabbage. Garnish with sesame seeds and cilantro.