The Allotment - Cardamom (seeds, whole)
Cardamom: strong, unique flavour with an intensely aromatic, resinous fragrance.
A little goes a long way.
Warm and eucalyptine with lemony undertones, cardamom is one of the world’s very ancient spices. It is native to the East originating in the forests of the western ghats in southern India, where it grows wild.
Cardamom is used in a variety of ways throughout the world: in the Middle East; to flavour coffee, in Scandinavian communities as a dessert baking spice. In India it is a savory spice for curries. Elsewhere it is used for poached fish, meat loaf, fish stews and sweet potatoes.
This distinctive aromatic spice is a definite kitchen staple.
Cardamom is an expensive spice, second only to saffron and is often adulterated. There are many inferior substitutes from cardamom-related plants, such as Siam cardamom, Nepal cardamom and winged Java cardamom. However, it is only Elettaria cardamomum which is the true cardamom.
Cardamom comes from the seeds of a ginger-like plant. The small, brown-black sticky seeds are contained in a pod in three double rows with about six seeds in each row. The pods are between 5-20 mm (1/4”-3/4”) long, the larger variety known as ‘black’, being brown and the smaller being green.
The Allotment: Locavore & Gourmet for the Discerning Gastronome.
20g