Cardamom pods are little buds of taste that open up to the sweet engaging smell that leaves people to spell bound. They can be used in both dishes which are sweet as well as savoury. The cardamom pods are widely used in the dishes prepared in the Middle East, India, and Swedish and Arabic cuisine. Cardamom pods are widely used in spices that are used to fuel the taste of curries as well as beverages like Turkish coffee and Tea.
Cardamom: What Constitutes Cardamom and Its Varieties
Cardamom belongs to the ginger family and is made from the seed pods of different plants which belong to this family. The pods of cardamom are in shape of a spindle and the cross-section is triangular in shape. The cardamom pods can be used either as a whole or they can be ground to obtain the seeds present inside. The seeds are generally white and black in colour while the shape and the size of the pod are determined by the species that it belongs to.
The two major varieties of cardamom are green cardamom and black cardamom, while there is another species of cardamom known as white cardamom. True cardamom is another name for green cardamom.
Recipes And Taste Of Cardamom:
The taste of cardamom is very strong and sweet with nuances of mint and lemon in it. The flavour is largely pungent. Black cardamom has a smoky and cooling taste of menthol as well.
The recipes that involve the use of cardamom seeds generally use the whole cardamom pods and post cooking; the pods are discarded as it is a very unpleasant feeling to chomp into the pods.
Powdered cardamom seeds can be added to cooking concoctions in order to grant the flavour while it is better to use the seeds as a whole in order to give your food better flavour and aroma.