Chieftain^® Wild Rice Company

CARDAMOM, WHOLE BLACK ( PODS )

Description:

Cardamom, a member of the Ginger family, is native to India and is an often-used spice in numerous dishes from South Asia. Black Cardamom Pods are about 1/2" long and have a dark shade and spicy, aromatic flavor.  Each pod contains 17 to 20 tiny, pungent seeds.   The seeds may be removed from the pods and ground or the entire pod may be ground.  The Cardamom seeds begin to lose their essential oils as soon as they are ground.  Use sparingly since a little goes a long way!  Cardamom has numerous health benefits, such as improving digestion and stimulating the metabolism and chewing on Cardamom Pods can sweeten the breath.  Ancient Greek, Roman, Egyptian and Arab cultures were fond of Cardamom, which was considered to have aphrodisiac qualities and was frequently used in love potions!  Cardamom is the third most expensive spice, trailing after Saffron and Vanilla.  Useful for flavoring ground meats, coffees and baked goods.  Roughly 10 pods will give you enough seeds to crush to equal ½-teaspoon ground Cardamom.  Black and Green Cardamoms are frequently interchangeable.  The black variety is a better selection for spicy and rustic dishes.

Suggested Use:
Use Cardamom seeds straight from the pod for grind the seeds before adding to your favorite recipe.  Place crushed pods & seeds in cheesecloth bag for tea infusions.  Cardamom can be used in many different ways. It's found in curries, used as a flavoring in Indian spiced tea, added to sweet dishes such as coffee cakes and pastries.