Kinds of Cassia Cinnamon: Not Wasting a Single Part of Tree

Cassia cinnamon is a popular and valuable spice due to its strong aroma and flavor. When processing this spice, not a single part of the cinnamon tree is wasted. Cassia comes in various forms, each with its own advantages for different culinary uses. People process the cassia barks into whole tube, split, stick, cigarette, broken… People even extract cassia leaves to make oil and use the wood to make pallets. Here’s a breakdown of the different kinds of Vietnamese cassia cinnamon.

1. Whole Tube Cassia

Whole tube cinnamon consists of long, uncut sections of the cinnamon bark, peeled from the cassia tree and over 12 years old. It has a thickness of above 4mm and it measures 25-45 cm in length. Also, it looks dark red-brown color. It offers the strongest aroma and flavor profile due to its intact form. Therefore, whole tubes boast the longest shelf life. Due to its high oil content, people use whole tube cassia to extract cassia oil or make cassia powder. Whole tube cassia has 2 main types: bark and barkless, which are based on the customer’s demand.

2. Split Cassia

Farmers make split cinnamon by splitting whole tubes lengthwise into halves or quarters from 6 or 8-year-old cassia trees. This process exposes more of the inner bark, resulting in a more intense flavor compared to whole tubes. In shape, split cassia has thick skin and a dark red-brown color. It is 0.6 – 1.8 mm thick and it measures 25 – 45 cm in length. Split cinnamon offers a good balance between flavor intensity and practicality. Though it is still relatively large and people use it for similar purposes as whole tubes, its increased surface area allows it to infuse dishes in shorter cooking times.

3. Stick Cassia

Stick cinnamon is essentially a section of cassia but in a roll form. The reason for its form is people dry them to get rolled. The same as whole tube cassia, people use bark from above 12-year-old trees to make this kind. Stick cinnamon cassia has a diameter of 1.8cm and a deep dark red-brown color with a length of 20 – 45 cm. It also offers a roll percentage between 75 – 90%. These convenient pieces offer a middle ground between the strong impact of whole tubes and the ease of use of ground cinnamon. Stick cassia is perfect for everyday use and people can add it to curries, stir-fries, and poaching liquids for a touch of warm cinnamon flavor. Besides, it is the main material for making the below kinds: cigarette cassia.

4. Cigarette Cassia

Cigarette cinnamon gets its name from its resemblance to thin, tightly curled cigarettes. It is the shorter version of stick cassia. It’s cut from stick cinnamon so its length varies between 6 – 20 cm. These delicate rolls of split cinnamon pack a strong flavor punch and are ideal for short cooking applications or when needing a subtle hint of cinnamon. Due to its delicate nature, Vietnamese people commonly use it for pho, where their brief simmering time adds a touch of cinnamon without overpowering the delicate broth.

5. Broken Cassia Cinnamon

It’s the leftover product of the cinnamon cassia-making process. These fragments can vary in size due to coming from other forms of cinnamon. For example, the leftovers of peeling cassia bark are surely bigger than the ones from cutting stick cassia. However, it still has high oil content. Broken cinnamon is the most economical option and is a great value for grinding cinnamon powder or using it in spice blends. Moreover, this is also how farmers make use of all the parts of valuable cassia trees.

6. Cassia Cinnamon Powder

People make cassia powder (ground cassia) from whole tube or broken cassia. It is the most convenient form and readily releases its flavor. However, this also means that powdered cinnamon loses its potency faster than other forms. Powder cinnamon is best for baking applications, sprinkling on dishes for a finishing touch, or incorporating it into spice rubs.

7. Other kinds of Cassia Cinnamon

Besides the 6 main types of cassia, there are some specific kinds that Yen Bai farmers make based on the demand of customers. When it comes to the shape, there are round-cut and square-cut cassia. Considering the size, there are also chips cassia which is smaller but more uniform than broken cassia. Moreover, pressed cassia, which actually pressed split cassia, is also a high-demand cinnamon product.

In conclusion: With these high-value plants, people can make many types of cassia for many use purposes. This is a very potential industry that brings a lot of economic value to Vietnam!

Havigo Company Limited operates in the field of agricultural export. We wish to bring high-quality Vietnamese agricultural products such as spices, rice, beans, and fruits… to the world. We supply you with high-quality products at the best price. If you find interest in importing all kinds of Cassia Cinnamon from Vietnam, please contact us for better support via WhatsApp: +84 979 58 58 56.