Cardamom is a spice made from the seeds of plants in the genera Elettaria and Amomum in the family Zingiberaceae. Both genera are native to India, Bhutan, Indonesia and Nepal. They are recognized by their small seed pods: triangular in cross-section and spindle-shaped, with a thin, papery outer shell and small, black seeds; Elettaria pods are light green and smaller, while Amomum pods are larger and dark brown.
Quick Answer
The edible parts of cardamom are the seeds and pods. The seeds contain the highest concentration of flavor and aroma compounds, but the papery pods also impart subtle notes and are used in many cuisines, especially in India and the Middle East. The pods are removed before serving in most Western dishes featuring cardamom.
Cardamom Seeds
Cardamom seeds come from the ripened fruit pods of cardamom plants. The seeds are small, sticky, and black when fresh, with an intensely aromatic, resinous flavor. They contain over two hundred volatile aroma compounds, including the terpenes cineol and limonene, giving them their distinctive warm, floral, and slightly minty/citrusy flavor and aroma.
Cardamom seeds are often used whole to infuse dishes and teas. They can also be ground into a powder and used in pastries, curries, and other preparations. The seeds have been used as a spice and medicine for thousands of years in India and Asia. They are chewed as a breath freshener and digestive aid in some cultures.
Flavor and Aroma
The complex flavor and aroma of cardamom seeds develops during the curing process, where fresh seeds are washed, dried, and aged. During this process, enzymes act on the seeds to develop their characteristic fragrance. The seeds from wild cardamom plants are larger but have a less complex, more camphoric aroma than seeds from cultivated cardamom.
The distinct fragrance of cardamom comes from pinene, cineol, nerol, limonene, and over a hundred other volatile compounds. These are found in concentrated essential oils in organelles inside the seed cells. Cooking causes these compounds to be released from the cells, infusing foods and beverages with cardamom’s unique flavor.
Culinary Uses
Cardamom seeds are used as a seasoning in both sweet and savory dishes. Their ability to enhance the sweetness of foods makes them popular in desserts, baked goods, and masala chais. A little goes a long way; using too much cardamom can cause unpleasant medicinal flavors.
Popular savory dishes seasoned with cardamom seeds include Indian curries, pilafs, stews, breads, and meat rubs. The seeds are often used in spice mixes like garam masala. Ground cardamom seeds are also brewed as a coffee substitute.
In Scandinavian cuisine, cardamom seeds flavor baked goods, marinades, and braised meats. Arabic coffee traditionally includes ground cardamom. The seeds can even be used in cocktail bitters and tomato sauces.
Cardamom Pods
The cardamom pods (or fruits) contain the highly aromatic seeds, but the pods themselves also contribute subtle flavor. The pods are comprised of a thin, papery outer shell and the inner pith. In live plants, the pods enclose the black seeds in three segments. Wild cardamom pods are smaller (2 to 4 cm), with a thicker shell, while cultivated pods may grow over 2 inches long.
Flavor
The flavor of the cardamom pods is more subtle than the seeds. When freshly harvested, they impart floral, piney notes. As they dry, the flavor becomes more woody and minty, with less sweetness than the seeds. Traditionally, the pods have been used more for their ability to infuse foods during cooking and less as a distinct flavor.
Culinary Uses
In some cuisines, especially in India and the Middle East, whole cardamom pods are simmered in soups, stews, and curries to impart their flavor. The pods are removed before eating, leaving behind their fragrant oils. In other cuisines, the seeds are extracted from the less-flavorful pods before use.
Ground cardamom pods are key to masala chai or spiced Indian tea. The pods can also be used to flavor custards and puddings, then removed before serving. They may be used to infuse flavors in broths then discarded before serving clear broths and consommes.
The pods have become trendy in recent years for flavoring cocktails, especially gin. They can be muddled or infused into drinks. For baked goods, the whole pods can be ground along with seeds, or emptied pods can line cake pans for subtle flavor.
When are the Pods Discarded?
In Indian and Middle Eastern cuisines, the pods are commonly cooked along with the seeds and removed before eating. But in many Western preparations, the seeds are extracted and only the seeds used:
- Baking – Used primarily for the intense flavor of the seeds
- Tea – Seeds preferred, but pod powder acceptable
- Coffee – The seeds are usually ground alone
- Desserts – Seeds impart sweetness, while the pods are often considered undesirable in sweets
The pods tend to be used more often in savory dishes, while the seeds are favored for sweet recipes. But both seeds, ground pods, and whole pods all have applications in global cuisine.
Nutrition
Cardamom Seeds
Cardamom seeds are rich in nutrients and medicinal compounds. Per 100 grams (about 3.5 oz) of seeds:
- Calories: 311
- Total fat: 6 g
- Protein: 10.76 g
- Carbohydrates: 68 g
- Fiber: 28 g
- Calcium: 383 mg (29% DV)
- Iron: 14.47 mg (80% DV)
- Magnesium: 229 mg (57% DV)
- Manganese: 28 mg (1,400% DV)
- Potassium: 1119 mg (23% DV)
The seeds also contain phytochemicals including the antioxidant quercetin along with limonene and other volatiles.
Cardamom Pods
The pods have a similar nutritional profile to the seeds but are much lower in calories and higher in fiber since they consist of mostly indigestible cellulose:
- Calories: 21
- Protein: 3 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 13.4 g
- Iron: 13 mg
- Magnesium: 102 mg
- Manganese: 0.386 mg
- Potassium: 421 mg
Medicinal Uses
Both the seeds and pods have a long history of use in traditional medicine systems like Ayurveda and traditional Chinese medicine:
Digestive Aid
Cardamom has been used to relieve indigestion, gas, and stomach cramps. The high fiber content may aid digestion. Some research on mice also found it may protect against stomach ulcers.
Antimicrobial Properties
The seeds have shown antibacterial effects against some strains of mouth bacteria when chewed. Compounds in cardamom may help inhibit growth of bacteria and fungi.
Respiratory Relief
Cardamom seeds and pods have been used to relieve sore throats and clear up congestion and coughs. Compounds in the spice may soothe mucus membranes and thin mucus.
Oral Health
Traditionally used as a breath freshener, the seeds combat bad breath by fighting bacteria in the mouth. Some studies also indicate compounds in cardamom may prevent dental cavities.
Detoxifying
Cardamom has been used to detoxify the body and protect the liver and kidneys. The high manganese levels aid in toxin removal. Animal studies show the spice may combat liver damage from drugs and toxic plants.
Growing Regions
Both genera of the cardamom plant are native to Asia. Today, India, Indonesia, Nepal, China, Guatemala, Vietnam, Papua New Guinea and Tanzania lead production:
India
India produces over 70% of the world’s cardamom, primarily on plantations in Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Both Elettaria (green) and Amomum (black) varieties are grown in forested regions of the Western Ghats mountains.
Indonesia
Indonesia is the second largest producer of cardamom. Native Amomum cardamom species are cultivated on the islands of Sumatra and Java. Plantations near Lake Toba produce highly valued ‘Lampung’ cardamom.
Guatemala
Cardamom was introduced by the Spaniards in the early 20th century and is primarily grown on large plantations in Alta Verapaz. Guatemalan cardamom has intense flavor ideal for coffee.
China
China produces Amomum villosum, known as ‘black cardamom’, along with some green Elettaria pods. It is grown in Yunnan and Szechuan provinces.
Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia
This region grows Amomum cardamom varieties in forest areas. Much is still wild-harvested, though cultivation is expanding. These pods have very thick shells and high oil content.
Cardamom Production
Cardamom production begins with planting propagules or seedlings in fertile, humid, shaded areas. The plants take 2-4 years to reach maturity and produce flower spikes:
Pollination
Cardamom flowers are self-incompatible so cross-pollination is essential. Bees, primarily Apis cerana, pollinate the flowers to produce small green fruit pods about 120 days after pollination.
Harvesting
The pods are hand harvested before fully ripening, when they are green and the seeds under-developed. This timing maximizes oil content and flavor. The pods are snapped off the flower spike then dried for curing.
Curing
After harvest, the pods are washed, threshed, and cured through sun-drying or drying over fire. This initiates enzymatic changes to develop flavor. The dried pods are stored and then milled to extract the seeds.
Types of Cardamom
There are two main genera of the cardamom plant, as well as several species and cultivars:
True Cardamom (Elettaria)
Elettaria pods are small, light green, and triangle shaped in cross section. There are several species:
- Elettaria cardamomum – Most common edible cardamom
- Elettaria ensal – Wild cardamom found in India and Nepal
- Elettaria majuscula – Rare wild fuzzless variety from Sri Lanka
Black Cardamom (Amomum)
Amomum pods are larger and dark brown or black. Some common species are:
- Amomum subulatum – Most widely cultivated black cardamom
- Amomum tsao-ko – Chinese black cardamom
- Amomum costatum – Wild Himalayan black cardamom
The seeds of Amomum cardamom have a smokier, more camphor-like aroma compared to Elettaria seeds.
Cultivars
Specific cultivars are grown for desirable traits like high oil content, color, and size. Some include:
- Malabar – High quality green cardamom from Kerala, India
- Mysore – Sweet, high oil Indian cardamom
- Guatemala – Intense, spicy aroma
- Java – Wild Indonesian white cardamom
How To Store Cardamom
To best preserve the aroma and flavor of cardamom, seeds and pods should be stored:
- In airtight containers away from light and moisture
- In the refrigerator for up to 6 months
- In the freezer for 1 year or longer
- In whole pod form; only grind seeds as needed
Ground cardamom loses its volatile oils quickly. For peak freshness, grind seeds with a mortar and pestle or clean coffee/spice grinder.
The pods help protect the seeds, but the paper-thin shells can still allow aroma compounds to escape. For longest shelf life, store pods and seeds together in a sealed glass jar.
Dried vs. Wet Cardamom
Cardamom is available in dried and wet (freshly harvested) forms:
Dried Cardamom
- Intense, complex flavor and aroma
- Easier to store long-term
- Seeds can be ground to release oils
- Commonly used form outside growing regions
Wet Cardamom
- Delicate, sweet, fruity aroma
- Short shelf life
- More subtle flavor from pods and seeds
- Prized in producing areas like Kerala
Both offer unique culinary qualities. Wet cardamom is ideal for gently infusing custards or seafood, while dried pairs well with bold curries and baked goods.
Conclusion
The edible parts of the cardamom plant are the small black seeds and the fibrous papery pods that encase them. Both impart the characteristic warm, resinous, and slightly sweet flavor, but the seeds contain the most concentrated essential oils. While the pods are traditionally discarded in some cuisines, they can also be used whole, ground, or powdered in others, especially in savory Indian and Middle Eastern dishes. Both the seeds and pods contribute their distinctive fragrance and subtle notes to dishes across the globe.
