ginkgo nuts

The ginkgo nut, or bai guo in Mandarin, is the seed of the female Ginkgo biloba tree, native to China and one of the oldest living tree species. The nut is encased in a hard shell with a distinctive white or pale yellow kernel inside. Ginkgo nuts have a delicate, slightly sweet flavor with a faintly bitter undertone and a texture that becomes soft when cooked. The nuts are approximately the size of a large almond and are typically sold shelled or in-shell at Asian markets.

The seeds contain various bioactive compounds including flavonoids and terpenes. In traditional Chinese medicine, ginkgo nuts have been valued for centuries and are believed to support cognitive function and circulation, though modern scientific evidence remains limited in scope.

Ginkgo nuts are primarily used in East Asian cuisines, particularly Chinese, Japanese, and Korean cooking. They are featured in soups, congees, and braises where their delicate flavor complements both savory and mildly sweet preparations. In Chinese cuisine, they appear in dishes such as chicken and ginkgo nut soup and winter melon with ginkgo nuts. Japanese cuisine incorporates them in chawanmushi (steamed egg custard) and seasonal rice dishes. The nuts are often blanched to remove a thin green germ believed to contain toxins and should always be cooked before consumption.