The commonly used culinary herb Cao Kou is actually the seeds of a green plant called Cao Kou. After being harvested and dried, Cao Kou can be used as a spice. It not only enhances the flavor of meat dishes, but also helps eliminate odors.
【Benefits and Effects of Cao Kou】
1. Digestive Health
Cao Kou contains natural aromatic substances and various amino acids. When consumed, it can promote the secretion of digestive fluids and improve digestion. It can effectively reduce symptoms such as indigestion, nausea, vomiting, and weak spleen and stomach.
2. Appetite Enhancement
When people have poor appetite, they can eat dishes made with Cao Kou. The aromatic substances in Cao Kou can stimulate the appetite and help with digestion.
3. Anti-inflammatory and Antidiarrheal
Cao Kou contains some astringent substances, which can help alleviate diarrhea by constricting the intestines. Therefore, when experiencing diarrhea or enteritis, taking Cao Kou can quickly relieve the symptoms.
【Identification of Cao Kou】
The medicinal part of Cao Kou is its mature fruit. The seeds are arranged in a ball-shaped cluster with white partitions dividing the cluster into three sections. Each section contains numerous seeds that are closely attached and slightly smooth.
The fruit of Cao Kou is oval, elliptical, or olive-shaped, measuring 1.5 to 3 cm in length and 1 to 2 cm in diameter. It is yellow-brown or reddish-brown, with slightly pointed ends and thick skin without thorns. The skin has raised longitudinal ridges, and it cracks to reveal the seeds.
The seeds are irregularly polyhedral, measuring 3 to 5 mm in length and approximately 3 mm in diameter. They are covered by a light brown membranous false seed coat, with a longitudinal groove as the seed ridge and a seed hilum at one end. The seeds are hard. When longitudinally cut along the seed ridge, the cross-section appears slanted heart-shaped, with the seed coat extending inward along the seed ridge, covering about half of the surface area. The endosperm is grayish-white. The fruit skin is smooth and easily broken, containing a cluster of seeds. It has a fragrant aroma and a cool taste.
Cao Kou is harvested when the fruit is ripe in summer and autumn. It is dried until 80% to 90% dryness, then the fruit skin is peeled off and the cluster of seeds is taken out and dried.
Cao Kou can be used not only as a food ingredient but also as a medicinal herb. It is mainly decocted and taken orally, sometimes it can be ground into powder and directly ingested.
【Methods of Using Cao Kou in Cooking】
Jiang Niu Rou (Sauce-Braised Beef): It is best to use beef shank for this dish, as it will result in tender and chewy meat.
Ingredients: 3 pounds of beef shank, 5 tablespoons of dark soy sauce, 10 tablespoons of light soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of cooking wine, 2 star anise, 1 small piece of cinnamon, 2 bay leaves, 20 Sichuan peppercorns, 2 dried chili peppers, 5 cloves, 4 slices of ginger, 3 sections of scallions, 1 cardamom, and 1 Cao Kou.
Instructions:
(1) Cut the beef into palm-sized chunks and put them into a pot filled with cold water. Bring it to a boil over high heat. (Note: Do not cover the pot when boiling beef.)
(2) When most of the bloody water has been boiled out, remove the beef and let it cool.
(3) In another pot, add 3 bowls of water and bring it to a boil. Add dried chili peppers, ginger slices, star anise, cinnamon, bay leaves, Sichuan peppercorns, cloves, cardamom, and Cao Kou. Boil for 5 minutes.
(4) Add the beef, dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, and cooking wine to the pot. Bring it to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low heat and simmer for 40 minutes.
(5) Remove the beef and let it cool. Return it to the pot and simmer for another 15 minutes. Then turn off the heat and let the beef marinate in the pot for 2 hours.
