Ajika Cardamom Green Whole -2 oz. - 6 Packages

The flavor of cardamom is medicinal to some--well, it has been used for years to mask the bad taste of remedies. It is a resinous (piney) aromatic bitter-sweet spice, rather intense. The green papery pods are broken open, and the dark seeds inside can be pulled out and ground in a mortar for use in breads, cookies, curries, puddings, chai and the like. It is the spice of "kheer"--Indian rice pudding, where sometimes the whole green pods are thrown in. I use it in tea or even coffee, bruising the black seeds slightly with the pestle. It is also commonly used in pilau (pilaf) or biryani, that festive Indian rice and meat or vegetable cassarole. Scandinavian cooking uses this spice in many cookies and cakes.

If you aren't used to the flavor, it can be a bit startling--not sweet and spicey like cinnamon or nutmeg. The pods are a nuisance to process, but the volatile essential oils are so fugitive that it's better to put up with the job of extracting the seeds than to use ground cardamom that will just lose its scent. Rather like the difference between fresh grated nutmeg and powdered.