Vietnamese Four-Spice Powder

June 6, 2012

Vietnamese Four-Spice Powder © kvalifood.com

A Vietnamese spice blend of star anise, cinnamon, black cardamom, and lemongrass. It’s similar to Chinese five-spice powder but distinctly Vietnamese - the lemongrass adds a citrusy, grassy note you won’t find in the Chinese version. Used in marinades, braised dishes, and soups like pho.

Ingredients

1¾ oz (50 g) Star anise
1¾ oz (50 g) Cinnamon
1¾ oz (50 g) Black cardamom
3½ oz (100 g) Lemongrass

Directions

If using fresh lemongrass, slice it thinly and dry it thoroughly in a low oven (100°C) until completely brittle. Dried lemongrass can be used as-is.
Break the star anise, cinnamon, and black cardamom into smaller pieces.
Grind all four spices together - star anise, cinnamon, black cardamom, and dried lemongrass - in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle until you have a fine powder.
Sift through a fine mesh sieve to catch any fibrous bits (especially from the lemongrass). Store in an airtight container.

Notes

The larger proportion of lemongrass (100g vs 50g of the others) is what sets this apart from Chinese five-spice.
Black cardamom (thảo quả) has a smoky flavour quite different from green cardamom. Look for it at Asian or Indian grocers.