BLACK CARDAMOM

BLACK CARDAMOM AND HOW IS IT USED?

THE INDIAN NAME FOR BLACK CARDAMOM IS BADI ELACHI OR KALI ELACHI. ROUGHLY 1 INCH IN LENGTH, THE POD ARE DARK BROWN TO BLACK IN COLOUR AND HAVE A TOUGH , DRIED , WRINKLY SKIN. BLACK CARDAMOM IS THIRD WORLD’S THIRD- MOST EXPENSIVE SPICE, SURPASSED IN PRICE PER WEIGHT ONLY BY VANILLA AND SAFFRON.

TEST PROFILE

BLACK CARDAMOM IS DRIED OVER AN OPEN FIRE AND HAS A DISTINCT SMOKY AROMA AND FLAVOR. BLACK CARDAMOM IS ALSO USED IN SWEET DISHES.

BLACK CARDAMOM HAS NOTES OF RESIN AND CAMPHOR, AS WELL AS A MENTHOL, SLIGHTLY MINTY AROMA THAT PROVIDES BALANCE TO AN OTHERWISE FUNKY FLAVOR.  THIS INTENSE , HEADY NOTES PUT BLACK CARDAMOM IN THE “WARMING” SPICE CATEGORY ALONG WITH BLACK PAPER , CLOVES AND CHILLI.

HISTORY AND ORIGIN

BLACK CARDAMOM IS SCIENTIFICALLY NAMED AMOMUM SUBULATUM. IT BELONGS TO THE ZINGIBERACEAE (GINGER) FAMILY. SEVERAL SPICES OF THE GENUS AMOMUM ARE DISTRIBUTED ALL OVER THE MOUNTAINOUS AREA FROM THE HIMALAYAS TO SOUTHERN CHINA. THE MAIN PRODUCTION REGION ARE EASTERN NEPAL AND INDIA.  MORE THAN 50% OF THE WORLD’S HARVEST IS PRODUCED IN INDIA.

USES OTHER THAN COOKING

HISTORICALLY, BLACK CARDAMOM HAS BEEN  USED TO TREAT VARIOUS STOMACH AILMENTS, STOMACH DISORDER, COMMON INFECTION, DENTAL PROBLEMS, TO TREAT MALARIA AND AS MOUTH FRESHENER.