Our Five Spice is an ancient, aromatic, versatile blend beloved across East Asia. Called Ngũ Vị Hương in Vietnamese and 五香粉 in Chinese, it's named for the five traditional Chinese flavors (sweet, bitter, tart, salty and savory). It brings a warm, savory, slightly spicy burst of flavor to grilling rubs, stews, sauces, stir-fries, braises and red cooking.
This is our newest Origin Blend of classic blends made by our partners in the country of origin. You can find all our Origin Blends here.
Highlights
Hanoi, Vietnam
5 spice, Ngũ Vị Hương, 五香粉,
Star anise, cinnamon, ginger, chili pepper, clove, black pepper, cardamon, fennel seed, prickly ash peppercorns
Orange Blossom • Phở • Mountain Charcoal
Buffalo Ginger, Robusta Black Peppercorns, Toasted Onion Powder
Cooking tips
- Combine with soy sauce as a glaze for cooking protein or hearty vegetables
- Use as a sub for cinnamon in desserts
- Add to braises, beans and other long-cooked dishes
SOURCING
We worked with our longtime partners at DACE, a social enterprise in the northern highlands of Vietnam, to connect with the farmers growing the spices for this blend. DACE works with farmers in the Hmong ethnic minority to transition to growing high-value, heirloom spices using regenerative practices. Farming in the remote highlands of northern Vietnam is not easy. The region's mountainous landscape and climate aren't suitable for producing large food crops such as rice or corn. Growing spice varieties allows farmers to use traditional organic practices on small fields, which are irrigated by collected rain water.
Buffalo Ginger was the first crop that farmers began to grow in collaboration with DACE. The regional conditions and soil quality resulted in an intense, flavorful ginger perfect for dehydrating and grinding. DACE supplies training and seedlings to farmers and sterilizes, dries and grind the freshly harvested spices and prepares them for export. They control the quality of their products and provide meaningful economic opportunities from seedling to export.
DACE, named for the small, resilient river fish of the same name, plays an important role in partnering with local farmers to facilitate these economic opportunities, drive gender equality and move toward more sustainable agricultural practices.