Tsaoko Cardamom Cao Dou Kou 500g Dried Tsaokao Fruit for Culinary Spice and Herbal Use

Tsaoko Cardamom, known in TCM as Cao Dou Kou (草豆蔻), is the dried nearly ripe seed mass or fruit of Alpinia katsumadai, a warming aromatic herb in the ginger family. In TCM theory it is pungent in flavor and warm in nature, traditionally associated with the spleen and stomach channels. This dried botanical is commonly used in spice blends and traditional decoctions. Store sealed in a cool dry place.

Key Selling Points

• Dried Cao Dou Kou (草豆蔻) supplied as a raw culinary and herbal botanical
• Botanical source Alpinia katsumadai, an aromatic ginger-family herb
• Traditionally valued in TCM for its pungent warm nature
• Sun-dried whole form suitable for simmering, braising, and decoction
• Popular ingredient in malatang, hotpot, and braised dish spice recipes

Quality & Sensory

Typically grayish-brown to yellowish-brown with a ridged, firm seed mass inside the fruit shell. The aroma is characteristically warm, camphor-like, and slightly pungent, and long simmering releases a peppery, ginger-like depth into broths.

Technical Specifications

Usage Scenarios

• Add whole to malatang, hotpot, and spicy soup bases
• Simmer in braising liquid for meat and poultry dishes
• Include in mixed spice sachets for stews and marinades
• Use in traditional herbal decoctions prepared by simmering

Traditional Uses

In TCM practice, Cao Dou Kou is traditionally used to dry dampness and warm the middle burner, and it is a classic component of formulas such as Hou Po Wen Zhong Tang. In folk and culinary use, the whole seed pods are added to braising spice packs,卤水-style master stocks, and slow-cooked meats, where they are typically cracked or used whole and removed before serving.

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