Dried Water Caltrop Ling Jiao 菱角 500g Wild Four Horn Small Water Caltrop Traditional Herb

Dried Water Caltrop, known in TCM as Ling Jiao (菱角), from Trapa species, the dried fruit of the water caltrop plant. These small four-horned specimens are sun-dried whole with their hard shells intact. In TCM theory, Ling Jiao is considered sweet in flavor and neutral in nature, traditionally associated with clearing summer heat and supporting fluid balance. Traditionally used in soups, congee, and slow-cooked herbal dishes.

Key Selling Points

• Wild-harvested small four-horned water caltrop, a traditional TCM botanical
• Known in Chinese as Ling Jiao (菱角), the dried fruit of Trapa species
• Sun-dried whole with hard shells, preserving the natural form of the fruit
• Traditionally associated with clearing summer heat and supporting fluid balance in TCM
• Suitable for slow-cooked soups, congee, and traditional herbal cuisine

Quality & Sensory

Typically dark brown to blackish in color with a hard, angular shell and firm interior. The dried fruit has a mild, starchy aroma. When slow-cooked, the flesh typically becomes tender with a subtly sweet, chestnut-like taste.

Technical Specifications

Usage Scenarios

• Slow-cooked in soups with pork, poultry, or other herbs
• Simmered into congee or rice porridge
• Boiled and eaten as a seasonal snack in traditional cuisine
• Added to herbal decoctions in TCM practice

Traditional Uses

In TCM practice, Ling Jiao has long been used in autumn and summer seasonal cooking, often simmered with pork ribs or added to nourishing soups. Traditionally associated with clearing summer heat, supporting fluid balance, and quenching thirst. In folk herbalism, the fruit is commonly paired with other mild botanicals in slow-cooked dishes and congee.

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