Cassia (Chinese cinnamon)

肉桂 / ròuguì; quế

Flavor and role

A thick, hard bark with a spicier, stronger aroma than Ceylon cinnamon. What is called 'cinnamon' in Korea, China and Vietnam is mostly cassia.

Typical dishes and uses

Sujeonggwa (Korean cinnamon punch), pho broth, hong shao rou, Taiwanese beef noodle soup, five-spice powder. In this book: pho bo broth (cinnamon stick) and beef noodle soup.

Substitutes

Use 1.5 times the amount of Ceylon cinnamon. If using ground instead of sticks, add ½ tsp per 5cm and allow for the broth turning cloudy.

Storage

In an airtight container at cool room temperature, away from direct sunlight and moisture. For best aroma, use ground spices within 6 months to 1 year and whole spices within 2-3 years.

Main countries

China · Vietnam · Indonesia

Used in this book

Pho Bo (Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup)Red-Braised Pork Belly (Hong Shao Rou)Bone Broth Red-Braised Beef Noodle SoupDan Dan Noodles with Aromatic Red Oil and Fresh Sesame PasteCaramel-Braised Pork Belly Gua Bao with Milk BunsHand-Cut Lu Rou Fan with Shiitake and Caramel BraisePhở Đặc Biệt with 4-Hour Oxtail BrothPhở French Dip SandwichShanghai-Style Red-Braised Pork with Braised Eggs

Updated 2026-10-10