Queen Cardamom

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Queen Cardamom

I love Cardamom. I love Cardamom so much so that I had to write about it.  Cardamom is known as the “Queen of Spice”.

Queen Cardamom

Let’s take a look at the description of a Queen

A Queen is personified as a female and most powerful of her kind, superior and dominant. A Queen is the sovereign ruler and described as royal, grand, supreme and majestic. Even in a game of Chess the Queen is the most powerful piece.  Rightly so Cardamom dominates many emporiums of spice and the “Queen of Spice” is a fitting title.

What exactly is Cardamom?

It is an exotic spice which has a very distinctive fragrance and taste. Cardamom has been around forever it seems, however its origins are from the Western Coastal regions (Kerala) in the South of India and parts of Sri Lanka and Asia. Cardamom is actually the tiny black grains with a burst of flavour embedded in little pods.  Cardamom pods are delicately hand harvested after approximately 3 years of the growth process.  The harvest by hand is done carefully in order that the pods are not split open and the precious black grains are not lost in the process. Cardamom therefore commands a high price! These pods which feel almost straw-like to the touch are peeled open and the black grains removed and ground or it could be used whole, depending on what sort of a dish is required to be flavoured.



There are 2 types of Cardamom, Elettaria which is the light green (or cream coloured) pod and Amomum which is a bigger pod, dark brown or almost black in colour.  Many people will not remember the names Elettaria and Amomum, so it is simply referred to as green Cardamom or black Cardamom. Green Cardamom, which appears to be more popular is also called "true Cardamom".

Black Cardamom and Green Cardamom

Cardamom as we know it

Cardamom is also commonly known as elachi.  It is quite the essential ingredient which adds to the exotic taste and richness of Indian cuisine and is popularly used in the preparation of curries or biryani’s. 

In almost every Indian household, there has to be someone who had the experience of biting onto a whole Cardamom pod unexpectedly and felt like there was an explosion in your mouth! The intensity of the spice would leave your entire mouth with a numb feeling … I experienced this a few times!   Within the Indian community Cardamom had become titled the “Indian landmine” ... that title in itself is self-explanatory!  If you have not had this experience as yet, do chew onto a whole cardamom pod.

Cardamom enhances the taste of just about any dish.  It is used to flavour desserts as well as in beverages. Cardamom is also popular in western cuisine in the making of breads, cakes, tarts and soups. In most instances the grains are ground either in a mortar and pestle or in a spice grinder and then added to flavour the dish.

Queen of Spice

The taste of Cardamom is actually not easy to describe in a few simple words. Cardamom is very fragrant, has intense flavour, sweet, has almost a liquoricy taste and too much of it can be overwhelming to the taste buds, hence it should be used in moderation. Just a third of a teaspoon of ground Cardamom would be adequate to flavour a dish such as vermicelli pudding (payasum).

Benefits of Cardamom

There are numerous benefits of Cardamom besides its exotic favouring to dishes and beverages. The one on top of the list is that it aids with digestion.

The other health benefits include:
  •          It has some cancer curing benefits;
  •          It contains anti-inflammatory properties;
  •       It heals infections of the mouth and throat. A hot cup of cardamom tea mixed with a tablespoon of honey provides great relief for a sore throat.
  •          It treats bad breath issues;
  •          It helps in lowering blood pressure levels.
The guidance of a medical expert is recommended when health benefits are to be considered.

 So, Cardamom is quite the versatile spice you see, and dynamite does come in small packages!

Cardamom/elachi tea

Cardamom tea was quiet uncommon in South Africa until recently.  I first tasted Cardamom tea a few years ago at a small but busy local restaurant in Kerala, India.  Its unique taste pleasantly surprised me and I was hooked on the taste since then.  The taste and fragrance of this hot beverage is really satisfying at any time of the day. It is especially good after a long and tiring day or even on those cold days when you crave a warm comforting drink. The refreshing taste never disappoints. Recently I hosted high tea and Cardamom tea was on the menu … it was a hit!
Cardamom tea is available in a few stores but I prefer the home made tea. 

Ripple Cardamom Tea

I occasionally treat myself to a cup of homemade Cardamom tea, the recipe of which is really quick and easy. Below, I include a tasty, yet uncompleted recipe of Cardamom tea for you to try out.

Cardamom/Elachi Tea
Recipe for a delicious cup of Cardamom/Elachi tea

Ingredients
1 tea bag of your choice (I used Joko tea)
1 pod green cardamom (grains ground)
250ml of water
Sugar as required
Fresh milk

Method
Bring the water to a boil.
In a teapot, add the boiled water, tea bag and ground cardamom. Allow this to brew for a few minutes.
Add boiled fresh milk and sugar as required. 
Pour into a cup and enjoy!

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