Description

Cassia is the dried bark of cassia which is a small, bushy, ever green tree, 18-20 mtr high and 40-60 cm diameter with a straight and cylindrical trunk and grey brown bark, 13-15mm thick when mature.

Cassia has a warm, aromatic and slightly bitter taste. Compared to cinnamon, its better known brother, it is slightly more bitter. That does certainly not mean that cassia is less tasty, but that it will give a slightly different taste sensation when used in dishes.

Uses

Dried Cassia bark is the spice. The essential oil is called cassia cinnamon oil (Oleum Cinnamon). Apart from its use as spice, it is a well known medicine reinforcing ‘yang’, the body fire. ‘Gui zhi’ (dried twig of cassia cinnamon) is collected in spring and summer and dried in the sun or in the shade used in decoctions, has analgesic and anti-pyretic properties.