Green cardamom, a rare spice with a unique taste
Green cardamom is a spice obtained from Elettaria Cardamomum, a tropical plant of the Zingiberaceae family (the same as ginger) widespread in India and Malaysia.
Greeks and Romans used this precious and rare spice to create perfumes. Used mainly in the tropics, less known and used in Europe (except in Sweden, where it is included in numerous recipes).
It is said that, in India, cardamom was the favorite spice of the Mughal emperor who used it for sauces, meat and rice.
In The Asian continent, cardamom has always been used both in cooking and as a medicine. This spice was used to treat heart problems, respiratory diseases and even stomach disorders.
Cardamom looks like green berries, containing intensely aromatic and slightly sticky black seeds, which can be used ground or directly whole in infusions. You need very few to add a fragrant note to a dish.
The fruit is harvested when it is ripe for three quarters, when its aroma and texture are perfect: if left to ripen more, the pod opens and loses its fragrance. After harvesting, the pod is air-dried to preserve its beautiful green color.
With a slightly spicy and fruity flavor, with a strong character, cardamom can be used in various dishes, from first courses to roasts, but also in desserts (many recipes see it associated with cinnamon and / or cloves), to flavor creams and chocolate cakes.
Smell: aromatic, pungent, fresh.
Properties and benefits
The properties of cardamom are different. Among its benefits are definitely the ability to help digestion, treat stomach pain and soothe intestinal problems.
This spice is also used to treat urinary tract problems and respiratory infections such as coughs, flu and colds. It is recommended to use cardamom infusion, to be prepared with a teaspoon of cardamom seeds for each cup of water, to be taken half an hour after meals.
Cardamom, rich in a lot of vitamin A and C, has magnesium, potassium and manganese (useful for stimulating the absorption of nutrients, such as vitamins) and other micronutrients: niacin, pyridoxine, riboflavin, thiamine, sodium, calcium, copper, iron and phosphorus.
Cardamom seeds are also useful for burning fat, as this spice accelerates metabolism and to fight bad breath and refresh the mouth at the same time helping to keep the entire oral cavity clean.
Other properties and benefits:
- Lowers blood pressure;
- Treats toothache and gingivitis;
- Improves the skin and is useful against hair loss because it stimulates the follicles;
- Helps to counteract the sense of fatigue related to flu states;
- Combined with green tea it is useful against depressive states.
Cardamom in the kitchen
Along with turmeric and ginger, green cardamom , is one of the most widely used ingredients in cooking. This spice is used in both sweet and savory preparations: cakes, biscuits, sweet sandwiches, salads, liqueurs, various drinks ... In the Middle East it aromatizes the strong Arabic coffee, which if added to some dessert gives an extraordinary fragrance.
Cardamom is also famous because it is used for the preparation of the famous masala chai, spiced tea with milk, and to prepare the Indian curry, that is the Garam Masala, in its different types.
Its use...
To make the best use of this spice, break the pods to recover the black seeds. Grind the seeds with pestle and mortar or crush them with the flat part of a knife.