Tsaoko Cardamom Cao Dou Kou Whole Dried Fruit Spice for Hot Pot and Braising 500g

Tsaoko, known in TCM as Cao Dou Kou (草豆蔻), is the dried near-ripe seed-bearing fruit of Amomum tsao-ko, a warming aromatic spice long used in Chinese herbal and culinary practice. Traditionally associated with warming the middle and dispelling dampness, it is valued for its pungent, acrid nature. This sun-dried whole fruit is sold as a food-grade agricultural product for cooking and traditional herbal use.

Key Selling Points

• Whole dried tsaoko fruit identified in TCM as Cao Dou Kou (草豆蔻)
• Botanical source Amomum tsao-ko, a classic aromatic Chinese spice
• Sun-dried whole fruit form suited to slow simmering and braising
• Traditionally used in TCM to warm the middle and move dampness
• Popular hot pot, stew, and braised meat seasoning in Sichuan-style cooking

Quality & Sensory

Whole fruits typically show a reddish-brown, longitudinally ridged husk with a firm, dry texture. The aroma is characteristically warm, camphor-like, and slightly smoky, and long simmering releases a pungent, peppery, ginger-like depth into broths and braises.

Technical Specifications

Usage Scenarios

• Add whole fruits to hot pot and spicy broth bases
• Simmer in braising liquid for beef, duck, or pork
• Include in stew spice sachets and marinades
• Use in traditional herbal decoctions under practitioner guidance

Traditional Uses

In TCM theory, Cao Dou Kou is pungent and warm and is traditionally associated with drying dampness, warming the spleen and stomach, and easing fullness. In folk and culinary practice it is a staple of braising spice blends, often paired with star anise, cinnamon, and bay leaf in red-cooked meats, hot pot bases, and slow-simmered soups.

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