Cassia Bark

Cassia is often wrongly assumed to be cinnamon. Actually, it all depends on the history of the dish. Both give a sweet yet spicy woody scent. Cinnamon was more commonly used in Indian dishes, while cassia lent its fragrance to Chinese recipes. Cassia also happens to be more pungent and would therefore produce a more fragrant kueh bumbu spice powder (needed for lapis spekkoek). Then again, cinnamon, in its stick or powder forms, is more readily available and makes a convenient alternative. To distinguish between cinnamon and cassia bark sticks, the cinnamon bark rolls in one direction like a cigar while both sides of the thicker sides of the cassia bark curl towards each other.