Cardamom (Elaichi): The Queen of Spices

Cardamom (Elaichi): The Queen of Spices – Benefits and Uses

Cardamom(Elaichi) -The Queen of spices

What is cardamom?

Cardamom is a spice that’s obtain from the dehydrated seed pods of various plants in the ginger family(Zingiberaceae) . The word “cardamom” is derived from the Greek word kardamomon. Cardamom is a warming spice which has sweet and pungent tastes, sharp flavor and is used extensively in garam masala, savory dishes & many desserts, drinks such as Tea etc all over the globe. Cardamom have been used in India since ancient times. It is known as Ela in Sanskrit (means it acts as a breath freshener and relieves bad breath) .

Due to its pleasant fragrance & taste it is nicknamed as “Queen of Spices”.

Characteristic of Cardamon:-

Cardamom is a versatile spice with several distinctive characteristics:

Flavor:- Cardamon has strong sweet aroma with pleasant fragrance. Green cardamom is lighter and more floral, while black cardamom has a smoky, earthy flavor.

Appearance: Green cardamom pods are pale green, while black cardamom pods are larger, dark brown, and rougher in texture. Cardamom is typically sold as whole pods, which are small triangular and ridged. Cardamon fruit are picked from plant before maturity and dried in the sun. The whole dried cardamom is called capsules. Inside the cardamon pod, there are around 15-23 aromatic seeds

Type of Cardamom:-

Cardamom comes in many types, each with unique characteristics:-

(1) Green cardamom:- Green cardamon is the most common and widely used in sweet and savory dishes, beverages (like chai tea and coffee), and spice blends (such as garam masala). It is often referred to simply as “cardamom” and is known for its strong, aromatic flavor that is sweet, floral and slightly spicy.

The common variety of Green Cardamon is :- Malabar cardamon & Mysore Cardomom.

Malabar cardamon :- Malabar region of Kerala is one of the largest cardamom-producing regions in India. Compared to Mysore cardamom pods, the Malabar cardamom pods are usually smaller but significantly less round & paler green color, .

Mysore Cardamon:-Mysore cardamom is a premium variety of green cardamom mainly grown in the Mysore region of Karnataka. It is a premium kind of green cardamom. This type is highly valued in culinary applications due to its powerful flavor, rich scent, and outstanding quality. In comparison to Malabar cardamom, Mysore cardamom pods are often bigger, a deeper shade of green, and more rounded.

Picture of Malabar Cardamon

Picture of Malabar Cardamon	Picture of Mysore cardamon

What is Alleppey Green Cardamon:-

Alleppey Green Cardamon:- This is the best quality of green cardamom grades in India which got its name from the Alleppey region of Travancore district of Kerala. The Raja of Travancore made it compulsory that all the produce shall be sold to his official who forwarded it to the main depot in Alleppey, the then most important port of Travancore. The best quality (Alleppey Green) was reserved for export. It was here in Alleppey that the cardamom was processed with the help of skilled labour.

Pic source-amazon

What is Coorg Green Cardamom?

Coorg Green Cardamom – is a green cardamom that is cultivated in Coorg, Karnataka. Coorg green cardamom has been given GI tagging, thus, the term “Coorg cardamom” can only refer to cardamom cultivated in Kodagu, which was historically known as Coorg. Its unique scent, pale green color, and compact size distinguish it from green cardamom cultivated elsewhere, thanks to the climate of Kodagu.

Pic source-gramdma.com

(2) Black Cardamon:- The scientific name of black cardamom is Amomum subulatum. It is often referred to as “greater cardamom” or “Nepal cardamom” and is widely used in savory dishes across Indian, Nepali, and other Asian cuisines. Black cardamom is known for its robust, smoky flavor.

Black cardamom pods are large, dark brown or black, and have a rough, wrinkled texture. The seeds within are bigger and darker than those found in green cardamom pods. The traditional method of drying black cardamom over an open fire gives it a strong, earthy, and smoky flavor.

Types of Black Cardamon:-

Indian/Nepalese Black Cardamom
Chinese Black Cardamom or Cao Guo
Amomum Costatum (Siamese Cardamom ,particularly in Thailand and Laos)
Java Cardamom or Indonesian Black Cardamom

Picture of Black cardamon

Indian/Nepalese Black Cardamom	Chinese Black Cardamom or Cao Guo

Picture of Java Cardamom or Indonesian Black Cardamom

pic source-https://agriospice.com/cardamom/

(3) White cardamon:- White cardamom is a type of cardamom that is often derived from green cardamom pods that have been bleached & sun-dried to remove their natural green color. This process results in a milder flavor compared to green cardamom and gives the pods a white or pale yellow appearance.

pic source:-Indiamart

Common Name of Cardamom: –

It has several regional name in different part of India.

Hindi: इलायची (Ilaychi)
Tamil: ஏலக்காய் (Elakkai)
Telugu: యలక (Yelakulu or Ilachi)
Kannada: ಏಲಕ್ಕಿ (Yelakki)
Malayalam: ഏലം (Elam)
Marathi: वेलची (Velchi)
Gujarati: એલચી (Elchi)
Punjabi: ਇਲਾਈਚੀ (Ilaichi)
Bengali: এলাচ (Elach)
Odia: ଲିଚି (Lichi)
Assamese: এলাচি (Elachi)
Konkani: वेलची (Velchi)
Urdu: الائچی (Ilaychi)
Kardamom in German and Scandinavian languages
Cardamome in French
Kardamom in Russian (Кардамон)
Kakule in Turkish

A brief history of its cultivation :-

As per the ancient literature, cardamom has been used since ancient times for more than 4000years ago. Ancient Egyptians used Cardamom for many medicinal purposes, as part of rituals. They used to chewed cardamom pods as a way to help keep their breath minty and to help clean their teeth. The Greeks and Romans used Cardamom for its pungent aroma. It was a main ingredient in perfumes and aromatic oils. It is believed that Vikings first discovered this spice during their travels and brought it back to Scandinavia.

India is home to cardamom. The original source of cardamom was a wild plant found in Southern India’s Western Ghats. The area became known as Cardamom Hills because of the sheer number of plants that thrived there. During the medieval period, cardamom was introduced to Europe , Middle east & Mediterranean region by the Arab Traders and sold to mainly Greek & Roman people as a spices & in Perfume manufacturing. After the landing of Vasco da Gama on the coast of Malabar on May 20, 1498, cardamom and other spices were shipped in large quantities to Europe.

Major Producers of Cardamom

Guatemala is the largest producer of cardamom (Green cardamom) in the world. It produces around 60% of the total cardamom production alone due to ideal climate & soil conditions. Guatemala produces between 28,000 to 30,000 metric tons annually as per the latest data.

India is the 2nd largest producer of cardamom in the world accounting to 15-20% of total world cultivations. The main region of India are- Kerala, Karnataka & TamilNadu & North east region. India produces around 16000-18000 metric tonnes annually.

Indonesia & Nepal is the 3rd & 4th largest producer of cardamon in the world especially the Black cardamon/Large cardamom contributing to 6000-10000 metric tones annually.

Other countries producing cardamom are:- Sri lanka, Tanzania, Vietnam , Laos, Papua new guinea etc.

Green cardamom producing region in India:-

Green cardamon is primarily produced in the southern regions mainly in the Western Ghats states like- Kerala, Karnataka & Tamil Nadu . These areas are well-known for having the optimal climate for growing cardamom, with high humidity, temperate temperatures, and evenly spaced rainfall.

Region in Kerala:-

Munnar: is one of the largest and most famous areas for cardamom cultivation in Kerala. It produces best quality of cardamom.
Vandanmedu:- is another major hub for cardamom cultivation within Idukki. It is one of the largest auction centers for cardamom in the world.
Thekkady:- is another key region in Idukki known for its extensive cardamom plantations.
Udumbanchola:- is also a prominent region within Idukki

Region in Karnataka :-

Kodagu District: Often referred to as Coorg, this district is the most prominent cardamom-producing area in Karnataka. The region is famous for its coffee plantations, but green cardamom is also widely cultivated here.
Chikmagalur is another important area for cardamom cultivation in Karnataka.
Sakleshpur: In Hassan district, the town of Sakleshpur is known for its cardamom plantations.

Region in TamilNadu :-

Coonoor and Ooty (Udhagamandalam): These are key regions within the Nilgiris where cardamom is grown.
Palani Hills: This region, particularly around Kodaikanal, is another significant area for cardamom production.
Cumbum Valley: Located close to the Kerala border, the Cumbum Valley in Theni district is known for its fertile lands and suitable climate for growing cardamom.
Valparai: Situated in the Anamalai Hills of the Western Ghats, Valparai is another area where cardamom is cultivated

Black cardamom producing region in India:-

The northeastern state of Sikkim is the primary big cardamom-producing region in India. Areas around the towns of Gangtok, Pakyong, and Kalimpong are particularly known for cultivating this spice.

Processing technique of cardamom: –

The freshly picked cardamom from its plant must be cleaned of dirt after harvesting. Cardamom capsules are cured by lowering the moisture content from 80% to 8–12% while maintaining the maximum amount of their green color at the ideal temperature.

Cardamom can be cured by two methods.

Sun drying process :-The cardamom is dried directly in the sun. Usually, sun drying takes five to six days. The green color of the capsules is lost after natural drying, and the capsules begin to split. The quality of the capsules declines when it is gloomy and rainy outside and makes it impossible to properly dry the capsules.

Conventional curing process:- It is one of the most common method of curing cardamom. Raw cardamaom is dried by using heat where temperature raises upto 45-50 degree C to dry it for at least 3-4 hrs.

Pic source- Times of India & FX Cuisine.

Dried capsules are polished either manually or with the help of machines. Polishing is carried out by rubbing the dried capsules in hot state against a hard surface. The polished produce is subsequently graded based on the quality parameters such as colour, weight per volume, size and percentage of empties, malformed, shrivelled and immature capsules.

Culinary uses of green cardamon

In recipes, black cardamom should not be used if a recipe calls for green cardamom. The two pods have extremely different taste profiles. Unlike green cardamom, the black variety of this spice is rarely used in sweet dishes.
Black cardamom is a key ingredient in India’s famous garam masala spice mixture and several other masalas mixes.
It is mostly used whole and almost always fried in a little oil to cause it to fully release its flavors and aroma.
It is largely used in savory dishes ranging from curries, stews, and daals (lentil dishes) to pilafs, in Indian cooking. Large cardamom is widely used in Indian, Pakistani, Chinese and Middle East cooking. Its use is most popular in Northern Indian and in the North-East Indian regional dishes where it is the substitute for the much costlier true cardamom.
In Chinnese cuisine the black cardamom are used for jin-jin braised meat dishes, particularly in the cuisine of the central-western province of Sichuan. It is also an optional ingredient in Chinese five-spice powder mix.
Black cardamom is also used in Vietnamiese cuisine as an ingredient in the broth preparation such as “pho noodle soup”
It possesses a sharp taste and flavour, and hence is capable of masking undesirable odours and tastes in various dishes, in addition to adding a pleasant flavour and taste to the dish. It is used in spice mixes and in rice dishes.

Medicinal uses

black cardamom has been used to treat various stomach ailments, common infections, and dental problems. From ancient times, large cardamom has been used in local and traditional medicine. It is considered a tonic for the liver and heart in the Ayurveda. large cardamom seeds are used in the treatment of gonorrhea, kidney stones and disorders of the digestive system

NUTRITIONAL VALUE OF LARGE CARDAMOM

Large cardamom is a good source of minerals like potassium, calcium, and magnesium. Additionally, it is also an excellent source of iron and manganese. Further, these aromatic pods are rich in many vital vitamins, including riboflavin, niacin, vitamin-C that is essential for optimum health

Chemical Constituents of Elaichi

The major compounds in the essential oil of cardamom seeds are 1,8-cineole (45.6 %), α-terpinyl acetate (33.7 %), sabinene (3.8 %), 4-terpinen-4-ol (2.4 %), and myrcene (2.2 %). cardamom is a rich source of manganese, which may play a role in managing blood sugar levels.

Culinary Use of Cardamom:-

Cardamom is one of the most favourite spices and most expensive spices in the world after saffron. It is used extensively in the Indian, Middle Eastern and Scandinavian cuisine. Since Green cardamom is warm, pungent and slightly lemony with low notes of sweetness flavour, it has many use in the culinary world. Cardamoms can be used either whole or in powdered form to flavour the dishes or food.

Since the Cardamom has sweet flavour, therefore it can combines well with almost any kind of spice or dishes. cardamom is one of the main spices in all our Garam Masala as well as in the preparation of several regional spices or masala in India. this aromatic citrusy green cardamom pods bring a magical essence to any dish. Almost all Indian gravy & curries contains green cardamom whether it is used whole or in grounded form or in mixture of spices to flavour the gravy & curries.
In Indian cooking context, cardamom is used almost all types of food preparation whether it is a Rice preparation such as Pulao or Biryani, Lentil preparation for tempering it, Meat , Poultry & Fish dishes, Vegetable & Dairy based dishes, Sweet dishes etc. It is extensively used in all regional cuisine such as Kashmiri cusine, Mughlai cuisine, Lucknowi cuisine, Hydrabadi cuisine.
Green cardamom, is used to flavour many Indian sweets or mithai when it is combine with milk & sugar, it imparts very pleasant flavour and used in the preparation of Kheer, vermicelli kheer, icecream, custard, etc.
cardamom is paired very good with several food items such as Rice, legumes, lentils, all vegetables, red meat, chicken, marinades, soups, stews and curries etc.
Green cardamom is extensively used as a mouth freshener. In Ancient Rome, cardamom was prized as a breath freshener. Romans, along with ancient Egyptians and Greeks, used cardamom as a tooth cleaner after meals.
It is also used to flavour our Hot drinks such as Tea & Coffee and it is also a great infuser for alcohol. Add it to your mulling spices for mulled wineit is commonly used to flavor meats, poultry, seafood, vegetable dishes, soups and sauces, marinades for meat, Poultry & fish items etc.
In the Arab world, it is used to flavour their coffee with cardamom with cream to offer as a welcome drink to all their visitors as a show of hospitality.
In Scandinavian countries, on the other hand, cardamom is used in all types of sweet pastry ,bread dishes and several meat dishes.
cardamom is used to season everything from baked dishes to hamburgers and meatloaves. It matches well with cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in autumn-spiced recipes.
Cardamom is also used to flavour sugar to use in drinks and sweet preparation. It is also used to flavour breads, pastries and cakes.

Health benefit of Cardamon:-

It has Antioxidant activity
Due to antioxidants property of Cardamom, it is useful to protect cells from free radical damage which can cause inflammation and pre-mature aging in human being.
Supports respiratory to our health
Cardamom helps to soothe colds and coughs by lubricating the respiratory pathways.
It helps in digestion
Research has established that cardamom is helpful to make our heavy and acidic food easy to digest by secretion of digestive enzymes. Also in the middle east countries, they brewed their coffee with cardamom to offset the acidic effect of the coffee so that it imparts a delicious flavour as well.
Oral health
Due to antimicrobial and antibacterial properties in cardamom it support good oral health. Studies have found that it fights bad breath and aids in healing mouth ulcers.
It also Supports kidney and bladder health
Due to its diuretic effects, cardamom also support in cleansing toxins from our urinary tract, kidneys and from bladder.
It helps to reduce blood pressure
Due to its rich source of fiber (2g of fiber in 1 Tbsp) and having its diuretic effects help to reduce blood pressure in human being. It also improve blood glucose level significantly. Since cardamom is a rich sources of manganese, it play a vital role in maintaining the blood sugar level.
Promotes a healthy metabolism
Due to its warming effects, it boost metabolism from an Ayurvedic perspective, as Pitta dosha governs metabolism. However, modern day studies have shown it to also have potential benefits, including supporting healthy cholesterol and triglyceride levels as well as aiding the body in burning fat more efficiently.
Immune booster
Cardamom is also a rich source of Vitamin C which has been proven to boost the immune system. Cardamom powder is often used along with several other ingredients to create a nourishing and delicious Ayurvedic sleep tonic.

Cardamom in Ayurveda

In Ayurveda, spices are classified by their qualities, tastes and the actions they have on the body and mind. Cardamom has warming and calming qualities, along with sweet and pungent tastes. Although it is considered to be tri-doshic (balancing for all doshas), those with Pitta imbalance should use it sparingly or in moderation, as it is heating.

According to Ayurveda, the buildup of ama (toxins) blocks normal circulation in the body, reduces energy levels and is the main cause of illness and disease. Cardamom’s warming and detoxifying effects aid in reducing the accumulation of ama (toxins) in the body and maintaining health. In addition, it helps to reduce Kapha in the stomach and lungs (such as congestion and mucous) and pacifies Vata, which when out of balance can lead to anxiety.

In addition to adding delicious flavor and fragrant aroma to foods, cardamom also has many health benefits. It is safe to use on a daily basis for most people, however, should not be used in high doses. As with any herb or spice, too much of a good thing can create imbalance in the body.

Top cardamom brands in India:-

Lev’s Farm Handpicked Green Cardamom Sourced from near Alleppy in Kerela; these whole green cardamom pods are gourmet and of the finest quality. Handpicked, these cardamom pods are prepared and packed in minute quantities to ensure that each batch gets proper attention and is guaranteed to be excellent in nature. (Cost-Approx Rs 225 for 50 gms)
Hill Valley Spices’ Cardamom Grown in the picturesque hills of the Kattapanna region in Kerela, these green cardamom pods are some of the best ones you are ever going to try. Each of the cardamom pods is hand-picked. The flavour of this particular brand of cardamom is striking and it is all natural, too. Hill Valley Spices use no artificial additives or preservatives because they believe in providing the customer with authentic products. Approx cost Rs ₹350 for 100 gms
Pro Nature 100% Organic Cardamom These small sized green cardamom pods are entirely organic and are grown in monitored conditions to ensure that all the farming techniques used are natural and maintain the quality of the cardamom.This brand of cardamom does not contain any preservatives or GMOs, so it is very safe and healthy. Appox cost Rs 205/- for 50gms.
Tassyam Bold Green Cardamom Pods This select type of vibrant green cardamom is garnered from Kerela and is sold by a family company that has been in the business for decades. These cardamom pods have a minty flavour note and have a delightful floral and sweet aroma. Approx cost Rs 500/- for 100 gms
Highrange Spices Green Cardamom This brand of premium cardamom is produced in the Idukki region of Kerela and is of beautiful green colour. These cardamom pods are 100% natural and have no preservatives or artificial flavouring agents.
Mannat Black Cardamom Exclusively used in savoury cooking, this healthy and delicious pack of black cardamom can be undoubtedly called the queen of spices. Black cardamom is an essential part of the garam masala, but apart from that, it has a unique taste that makes it so remarkable. This black cardamom is not only crucial for cooking but also for multiple medicinal uses like battling a cold, cough and even asthma. Cost Rs 250 for 200gms
Urban Platter Whole Cardamom Urban Platter is a trusted and qualified brand that produces commodities of excellent quality. These whole green cardamom pods have been collected from the western ghats in Kerela. This cardamom has a distinct taste and fragrance that sets it apart from the regular ones. Cost of Rs 400/- approx. for 100 gms