Cao Guo Tsaoko Dried Whole Fruit 500g Traditional Chinese Herb for Stewing Braising and Hot Pot Seasoning

Tsaoko Fruit, known in TCM as Cao Guo (草果), is the dried whole fruit of Amomum tsaoko. This 500g pack contains dried whole fruits typically reddish-brown with a ridged, oblong shell and a warm, pungent, aromatic character. In TCM theory it is traditionally associated with warming the middle and dispelling dampness. A classic culinary spice for stewing, braising, and hot pot, it is a food-grade dried botanical for kitchen use.

Key Selling Points

• Dried whole Tsaoko fruit supplied as a 500g pack
• Botanical source Amomum tsaoko, a traditional Chinese spice herb
• Known in TCM as Cao Guo, traditionally used to warm the middle and dispel dampness
• Whole dried form preserves aroma for slow-cooked dishes
• Popular seasoning for braised meats, stews, and hot pot broths

Quality & Sensory

Whole dried fruits typically reddish-brown to grayish-brown with a longitudinally ridged, tough outer shell. The aroma is typically warm, spicy, and slightly smoky when cracked or toasted, and the flavor released in long simmering is pungent, fragrant, and mildly camphor-like.

Technical Specifications

Usage Scenarios

• Add whole or cracked to braised beef, pork, or lamb stews
• Simmer in hot pot and mala broth spice blends
• Use in lu wei master stock for braised dishes
• Include in spice sachets for slow-cooked soups

Traditional Uses

In TCM practice, Cao Guo is traditionally associated with warming the spleen and stomach and drying dampness, and it is a common ingredient in culinary spice formulas. Traditionally it is lightly toasted or cracked before use to release its aroma, then simmered whole in braises, stews, and hot pot bases, often paired with star anise, cinnamon, and bay leaf in Sichuan-style cooking.

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