Cinnamon and cassia

True cinnamon, from the bark of Cinnamomum verum or zeylanicum, indigenous to Sri Lanka and parts of southern India, is highly aromatic, its dried bark unfurling in hot oil to suffuse perfumed sweetness. Most of the cinnamon we see in the Western world comes from the less expensive Cinnamomum cassia, cultivated in China for export. In India, cinnamon sticks most commonly perfume oils in which meats, vegetables, and legumes simmer; they are also used in layered rice bakes. Because of its warming feature (as in internal body warmth) when toasted and ground, cinnamon is a popular spice in many of our garam masalas, including the complex East Indian bottle masala.