Cardamom, a spice with unbeatable taste, flavour and aroma. Cardamom is one of the most highly prized and appreciated Kerala spices. Also known as Elaichi, Capalaga, Ilachi, Green Cardamom, True Cardamom, Ceylon Cardamom, and Elettaria Cardamomum Maton, but this exotic spice holds the title of “Queen of Spices.” With its distinct taste and aroma, the spice highly deserves the name. It is one of the world’s most expensive spices.

Taste:

Cardamom is a spice with an exciting flavour and mesmerizing aroma. To explain the taste of cardamom, you should experience it first. Green cardamom tastes slightly strong, sweet, herbal, and citrusy. It works well for both savoury and sweet dishes, while black cardamom has an earthy, smoky flavour and is just a little bit sweet.

History:

Cardamom has been popular in cooking since over 4000 years ago and is thus considered to be one of the oldest spices in the world. Wild plants in southern India’s Western Ghats are where cardamom’s origins can be traced. This area became known as “Cardamom Hills” because of the abundance of plants that grew there. Many of the green and black cardamoms we use today come from cardamom plantations established by British colonists in the nineteenth century. Oscar Majus Klöffer, a German coffee farmer, brought cardamom with him to Guatemala, and now the world’s largest producer of cardamom for export is Guatemala. It is considered that cardamom was first used by the Egyptians as mouthwash and later by the Greeks in perfumes.

Varieties:

Cardamom comes in three varieties that are widely used: green cardamom, black cardamom, and white cardamom.

Green cardamom:

One of the best varieties of elaichi is green. Originally from southern India and Sri Lanka, green cardamom, or true cardamom, is now grown in nations like Thailand, Nepal, and Central America. Because it is typically harvested by hand and each plant’s numerous pods mature at their own rate, it is the third most expensive spice after saffron and vanilla. It is regarded as one of the more expensive spices. There are two types or varieties: the Malabar cardamom, which has a milder aroma, and the larger-sized Mysore green cardamom, which has an intense green color and triangular fruits that provide resinous hints of pine and eucalyptus.

Black cardamom:

A seed that ranges in length from 2 to 5 centimeters, black cardamom is grown in Nepal, Vietnam, and China. Although the flavours of each variety are similar, this cardamom is not a member of the same family as green cardamom and should not be confused with Chinese black cardamom. Black cardamom is a common remedy for gastrointestinal problems in traditional Chinese medicine, including nausea, indigestion, flatulence, and stomach pain. In Sichuan province in particular, it is used as a spice in Chinese cooking to make casseroles and stews like Wuxi pork chops, duck in brine, stewed meat, etc. It is employed in Vietnam to make the broth for noodle dishes.

White cardamom: When discussing white cardamom, it’s important to differentiate between the so-called Siam cardamom and the white cardamom produced by bleaching the green pods. The taste of the green and white Siam cardamoms is very similar. Siam is primarily used in Thailand and Cambodia, whereas cardamom bleaching is primarily used in Indian cuisine and Indonesia. Any variety is primarily used to adorn soft sauces, desserts, and beverages.

 Uses:

Cardamom is a widely used Kerala spice that has a fine aroma and exotic flavour. It has been used as a culinary ingredient since ancient times. It gives a vibrant flavour to the dishes that is unmatched by any other spice. Whether it is a curry or even tea, a pinch of cardamom can make it more delicious. The presence of cardamom in food gives it a finger-licking feel. Cardamom’s origin is in south India, but now it is an irreplaceable culinary ingredient in every country’s dishes. Sweden is one of the nations that incorporates cardamom as an intriguingly significant element into their seasonal recipes, which include baked goods, hamburgers, etc. Cardamom can be added to food in the form of whole pods, ground seeds, or powder. 

Cardamom is not only a spice that is used in food but also has been used as a medicine since over 4000 years ago. Because of its medicinal properties, cardamom is used in many Ayurvedic medicines. Cardamom has many health benefits and is a remedy for many health problems. Many scientific studies have shown that it has the ability to cure many health issues, including cancer.

Benefits

•  It has an antibacterial ability to kill bacteria and fungi.
• A remedy for metabolic syndromes includes obesity, high blood sugar, hypertension, high cholesterol, etc.
• Good for heart health.
• Prevents bad breath and improves oral health.
• It has detoxifying properties, which help the liver’s health.
• Contains Anticancer properties.
• Ulcer prevention
• It has an antiemetic action that stops vomiting.
• Contains anti-asthmatic properties.
• It has anti-bronchitis activity.
• It has anti-bronchitis activity.

Cardamom is a world-famous Kerala spice that is powerful in taste and aroma and is the third most expensive spice in the world. Cardamom, “the queen of spices,” lives up to its title for us any day.

Thanks : RMS