Cardamom or Elaichi has a very strong distinctive flavour that you know of if you have ever tasted biryani or any traditional Indian sweet. Be it Kheer or laddoos, no desi sweet is complete without a hint of the semi-sweet-minty flavour and the aroma of cardamom.
This sweet mystical spice was used by the Greeks and Romans in their perfumes, the ancient Egyptians used it as a mouth freshener. Even today, cardamom online is one of the most expensive spices and is becoming increasingly popular in Europe.
Cardamom is great for digestion and can combat nausea and motion sickness. Ginger juice mixed with cardamom, honey and a dash of lime is a very effective (and tasty) quick fix for nausea. The minty touch of cardamom enables it to be used as a mouth freshener and also serves as a great detoxifier.
Since cardamom works as a diuretic, it helps the body to flush out the toxins. It is a great remedy for hiccups and helps in liver cleansing. Some studies have shown that taking cardamom daily for 3 months can improve liver health in people with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Issues like diabetes, high blood pressure, cholesterol and obesity can be effectively controlled by daily consumption of cardamom. There is evidence to show that cardamom is effective in relaxing the lungs and choked airways as well.
You can find two kinds of cardamom online. One is pale green and the other one is deep brown (almost black). The green cardamom has a delicate aroma while the black is strong and smoky. The black cardamom is preferred for savoury dishes for its smoky flavour while the green spice is used widely in savoury dishes, teas and desserts because of its minty-sweet spice kick.
The black cardamom is three times the size of green cardamom and has a bold smoky aroma and is often paired with strong spices. You can use the “less is more” approach and use a little amount so you will get the hint of the aroma without overpowering the spice blend.
Did you know? Cardamom has been used by ancient Greek, Romans and Egyptians for more than 4,000 years! For more interesting facts and infotainment content, you can follow us on our social media platforms.
Typically, we add the powdered small black seeds that come in the tiny green pods in our food and not the green outer covering. The green pod is way too fibrous to be consumed, but you can add these to the food while cooking (just don’t forget to pick them out before serving). Even though the green pod cannot be used as a spice, you can still use it in infusions. They are very flavourful and aromatic. They can be put in boiling water, strained and stored as cardamom infused water. It adds a great kick to wine, lemonades and mocktails.
Throwing in a few pods of cardamom in your masala chai adds a sweet, minty and mystical flavour and aroma to the drink. You can make your own aromatic oil at home by adding a few pods to any neutral aroma oil. Powder these pods, add a spoonful of honey to them and you have your DIY natural exfoliator ready.
