How many people really know about cardamom? It is an ancient spice, existing in India more than a thousand years before the birth of Christ. It is the third most expensive spice, after saffron and vanilla. The spice reached Europe through the caravan routes. Ancient Greece and Rome valued cardamom as an ingredient in perfumes, as well as breath fresheners and digestive aids. These days, outside of the Eastern and Middle Eastern countries where it is best known, the Scandinavian countries are the largest importers of cardamom, using it to flavor their cakes, pastries and spiced breads.

There are different varieties of cardamom, although the smallest green cardamom, Elettaria cardamomum, is the one discussed here. There are other types of cardamom, such as black cardamom, which, while both are members of the ginger family, have little resemblance in taste. Green cardamom is used for sweet and savory cooking and baking, while black cardamom, with its unique smoky quality, is used only for savory dishes and has developed a following of its own.

Green cardamom pods come from a perennial shrub in the ginger family that can grow up to 12 feet tall. It is native to India and grows wild in the rainforests of southern India and Sri Lanka at relatively low altitudes. The plant will only flower and fruit in tropical climates. Guatemala is now the largest exporter of cardamom, even more than India. The plant needs moist soil and heat to grow and produce the small fruits, harvested just before they are fully ripe and dry, either in the sun, similar to coffee, or in special drying rooms. The best dried cardamom pods are pale greenish in color. Each papery pod contains approximately 12-20 highly aromatic dark brown or black seeds. It is best to buy whole pods or whole seeds that have been extracted from the pod. Pre-ground cardamom loses its flavor too easily. Also, the pods themselves have little flavor and commercially it is too easy to grind the entire pod, reducing the price and quality of the ground spice. Grinding the seeds is simple in a mortar and pestle or in a small spice grinder, and one is sure of the quality of the product. Many dishes in India require the use of whole pods, unbroken or only slightly crushed.

Anyone who has eaten Indian cuisine or cooked Indian dishes knows very well how often cardamom is an ingredient. It is almost always used in a Garam Masala mix, often seen as an ingredient in North Indian dishes such as Biryani rice, creamed spinach, and dhal. There are almost as many variations of Garam Masala as there are homes in India. A very simple and easy to remember mixture is to use whole spices in equal parts of cinnamon, cumin, cardamom, cloves, bay leaf and black pepper. My most used recipe for Garam Masala is this one below.

spice mix

4 tablespoons coriander seeds

2 tablespoons cumin seeds

1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns

2 teaspoons cardamom seeds from about 15 pods, measured after removing and discarding the shells

3 inches of true cinnamon stick

1 teaspoon whole cloves

1 whole nutmeg

In a small skillet, roast the cilantro, cumin, peppercorns, cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves separately. As each one begins to get fragrant, place on a plate to cool. Put all the spices together in an electric blender or small coffee grinder and grind to a fine powder, then store them in a glass jar with an airtight seal.

In addition to its use in savory dishes, cardamom is widely used in breads and sweets. Cardamom has a pleasant flavor and aroma, quite penetrating and strongly aromatic. While it is one of the most expensive spices, it takes very little to impart flavor. An Indian dessert called Gulab Jamun uses the ground seeds in the dumplings before frying, or in their syrup, or both. In northern European countries it is used in Stollen breads, as well as in many other cakes, pastries and cookies. In some places in the Middle East, cardamom is mixed with green coffee beans and roasted and ground. Some of these blends can be up to 40 percent cardamom.

There are also white cardamom pods available commercially, and some feel they are superior. In reality, they are nothing more than bleached green cardamom pods. If cardamom is not yet known in your spice lexicon, find it in a good quality spice store and give it a try. If it’s a total stranger, try it first in a dessert, like adding it to cookie dough, to test for flavor distinctions first. If you are adventurous, try a Garam Masala on an Indian plate or put some seeds in your coffee for your delight.

Thanks for taking the time to read my article. I hope it was informative and helped you on your own culinary journey. You will find many more useful recipes and tips on my website.