Common Native Spices in China

China is rich in native spice resources. Many varieties have a long history and are widely used in daily cooking, traditional medicine, and special processing fields. Below are the most common native spices, categorized by their uses and types:

1. Most common native spice in China:Woody Spices

• Chinese Cinnamon (Cassia Bark)：Mainly produced in Guangxi, Guangdong and other regions, it is a core spice for Chinese braised and red-cooked dishes. With a mellow aroma and slight spiciness, it has both edible and medicinal values.

• Star Anise (Chinese Star Anise)：The main producing area is Guangxi. As a core component of five-spice powder and thirteen-spice powder, it has a rich and strong fragrance. It's also an most common native spice in China. It is also often used in braising and stewing, and is also an iconic spice for removing fishy odors and enhancing aroma in Chinese cuisine.

• Sichuan Pepper：Famous for Hanyuan Sichuan pepper in Sichuan and Dahongpao pepper in Shaanxi, it is divided into green Sichuan pepper and red Sichuan pepper. With a numbing and fragrant flavor, it is the soul seasoning of Sichuan cuisine, hot pot and cold dishes, which can remove fishy smells, enhance taste and stimulate appetite.

• Cloves：Mainly produced in South China, it has a strong and unique aroma. A small amount can enhance the fragrance of braised food and pickles, and it is also a common spice for traditional preserved products, and can be used as medicine at the same time.

  
  

2. Herbal Spices

• Fennel Seeds：Cultivated all over China, it has a sweet and fresh aroma. It is often used in stewed mutton and braised seasoning, which can neutralize the fishy and muttony smell of meat, and can also be used as filling seasoning (such as fennel dumplings).

• Angelica Dahurica：Mainly produced in Sichuan, Zhejiang and other regions, it has a fresh aroma with a slight bitterness. It is the "bone-penetrating fragrance" raw material in braised seasoning formulas, which can remove the peculiar smell of ingredients and improve the overall aroma level, and is also a commonly used traditional Chinese medicinal material.

• Amomum Tsao-ko：Mainly produced in Yunnan and Guizhou, it has a strong aroma and spiciness, suitable for stewing beef, mutton and other ingredients with strong muttony smell. It is an important component of Yunnan cuisine, Sichuan cuisine and braised seasoning packages.

• Dried Tangerine Peel (Chenpi)：Made by drying and aging citrus peel, Xinhui dried tangerine peel from Guangdong is the most famous. With a fresh and slightly bitter aroma, it can be used for soup making, stewing meat, making tangerine peel duck, and can also be soaked in water to regulate the spleen and stomach.

  
  

3. Seed and Kernel Spices

• Pepper：Hainan in China is the main producing area (white pepper and black pepper). White pepper has a stronger aroma and is often used in soup and seafood seasoning; black pepper has a richer flavor and is suitable for pan-fried and roasted meat, which is a basic spice commonly used in both Chinese and Western cuisines.

• Cardamom (Katsumada Galangal Seed, White Cardamom)：Katsumada galangal seed is mainly produced in Guangdong and Guangxi, with a pungent aroma, suitable for braising poultry; white cardamom is mainly produced in Yunnan, with a fresh smell, often used in soup making and Southeast Asian-style dishes, which can remove fishy smell and relieve greasiness.

• Amomum Villosum：Mainly produced in Yangchun, Guangdong, it has a unique and slightly sweet aroma. It is a common spice for Cantonese soup and braised food, and can also be used as medicine to regulate the intestines and stomach.

  
  

4. Other Characteristic Native Spices

• Dried Ginger/Fresh Ginger：Widely cultivated all over China. Fresh ginger can be used to remove fishy smell, while dried ginger has a stronger aroma after drying. It is a common raw material for braised seasoning and medicinal food, and has the medicinal effect of warming the middle energizer to dispel cold.

• Kaempferia Galanga (Sand Ginger)：Mainly produced in Guangdong and Guangxi, it has a fresh and unique aroma. It is the core seasoning for making sand ginger chicken and dipping sauce for white-cut chicken, and can also be used for marinating and pickling.