Spice
In the movie Dune, Baron Harkonnen says, “He who controls the spice, controls the universe.” I say he who knows the spice, controls the kitchen.
Dune Fan Art Poster
You better believe it. It’s an amazing experience when you can identify spices and herbs, just by smelling them, like a sommelier who can name a grape variety by tasting the wine.
In addition to recognizing the smell of each spice, we should also learn its flavor and personality. Once you grasp the features of a spice, it not only helps you be a better cook. It can also be a source of inspiration to help you create flavors you’ve never before imagined, from bold and spicy to mild and mellow, or perhaps somewhere in between.
Take, for example, marrying star anise and cassia bark, which creates a wonderful union, and which is the core of basic Chinese flavoring. The specific terms for this ancient culinary practice is lu (滷), a spice-infused flavor potting, and the aromatic broth is referred as lu zhi (滷汁).
Add a piece of citrusy dried tangerine peel to the core-duo of star anise and cassia bark, and the flavor of the broth is elevated to a new level.
I was so over-zealous in the past, experimenting with mixing multiple spices. As a result, I often made the mistake of underestimating how potent spices such as tsao ko, sand ginger, and angelica, fructus amomi, if used too excess, could impair the blend, and worse, could ruin the flavor of lu. After ruining my lu, I made a mental note about the characteristics of each spice and then felt more confident in using spices.
It is incredible what a spice can do. Just like the beef-and-potato stew I ate at a friends’ gathering two years ago near Toronto. I left her home with a deep impression of how subtle the stew was. As always, whenever I like something I never hesitate to ask friends for their recipe. “I put one whole clove in the beef stew,” replied Sheng Xue, our friend. I was really blown away.
Fennel seed has a licorice taste; huajiao has an extraordinary fragrance which can numb your tongue; clove has a powerful scent, sweet-spicy, with fruity notes. Mix these three with star anise and cassia bark and we create what’s known in Chinese as Five Spice Powder （五香粉), the most common one for marinating meat before char-grilling or deep-frying.
Thirteen Spice Powder (十三香) , is another popular blend made by blending13 spices, including star anise, Sichuan peppercorn, sand ginger, galangal, angelica dahurica, amomum tsao-ko, nutmeg, fennel seed, fructus amomi, cassia bark, dried ginger, licorice, clove, dried tangerine peel, and cardamon (八角、花椒、山奈、高良薑、白芷、草果、肉荳蔻、小茴香、砂仁、桂皮、乾薑、甘草、丁香、陳皮、小荳蔻.)
The intense and complex soup base for mala hotpot and the dressing for Husband and Wife Lung Slices (夫妻肺片), both addictive dishes, contain more than a dozen spices.
However, you can’t go wrong with any of the following core blends:
1. Star anise (2 whole) + cassia bark (1 stick, 2 - 3 inches long)
2. Star anise + cassia + fennel seed (1 teaspoon)
3. Star anise + cassia + huajiao (1 teaspoon)
4. Star anise + cassia + tangerine peel (about 2 inches square)
5. Or combine all the above spices.
Next, place the spices which has been tempered in:
1 cup light soy sauce + 1/2 cup dark soy sauce
2 tablespoons of sugar
1/3 cup Shaoxing wine or Taiwan rice wine
5 cups water
Bring the liquid to a boil, then turn the heat low and cover and simmer for an hour.
Now you are ready to steep any ingredient you wish, such as chicken, pork belly, brisket, beancurd, or boiled eggs.
Traditionally, once lu is started, it should last a very long time, providing you brew it from time to time, similar to the way you keep a sour dough starter. You can use the liquid again and again. Over time, the lu zhi gets richer and richer.
Store the liquid in the refrigerator, but first strain the spices, and store it separate from the liquid. When making your lu again, simply return the spices in the aromatic liquid.
If you don’t use lu very often, it’s best to freeze the liquid. It will keep for months.
How to temper spices
The purpose of tempering spices is to bring out their full flavor. First, soak your spices in cold water for 5 - 10 minutes. Drain in a strainer and then roast them in a dry frying pan over a low to medium flame. As soon as your nose detects a beautiful fragrance, the tempering is done.