In the local pan-asian market the other day, I picked up a bag of
dried spice labelled in English, Vietnamese and in Chinese characters.
Noticing the word "pho" in the Vietnamese wording, it occurred to me
in an offhand way that the spice mix might be appropriate for use in
"pho" - or might not, as I had no translation for the whole phrase,
but it was an interesting question. Further along the same shelf, I
picked up another bag of spice, labelled with identical wording in
Vietnamese, but containing visibly different ingredients.

My question is this: What are these spice mixes most likely for? In
what quantities are they designed to be used? Are the mixtures
considered a ready-to-use seasoning, a la Hamburger Helper (TM), and
for what purpose?

Bag 1: Gia vi nau pho dac biet.
English name: "Mixed Spice"
Ingredients (largest quantities first
* star anise
* cinnamon sticks (rolls)
* green cardamoms
* black peppercorns
* One large black cardamom

Bag 2: Gia vi nau pho dac biet
English name: "Assorted Spice"
Ingredients (largest quantities first):
* dried orange rind
* cassia cinnamon (chunks and shards of bark)
* fennel seed
* sichuan peppercorns, to all appearances not heat-treated (still red
in color)
* licorice root
* star anise
* cloves

Very different mixtures.

Best - krnntp

My question is this: What are these spice mixes most likely for? In
what quantities are they designed to be used? Are the mixtures
considered a ready-to-use seasoning, a la Hamburger Helper (TM), and
for what purpose?

Bag 1 is the one I recognise as "Five Spice Powder", allthough
ingredient sometimes vary (I think I also sometimes find ginger and
cloves as ingredients (but they remain 5 so 1 or 2 others will not be
there :-))) and this is often used in chinese recipes.

Bag 1: Gia vi nau pho dac biet.
English name: "Mixed Spice"
Ingredients (largest quantities first
* star anise
* cinnamon sticks (rolls)
* green cardamoms
* black peppercorns
* One large black cardamom

See
http://www.brainyencyclopedia.com/en...ce_powder.html
for instance.

Lots of recipes with (but also /for/) five spice powder to be found
E.G. http://www.recipezaar.com/87105

Wouter