Photo from wikipedia.org

Cardamom is native to India where it is known as “queen of the spices” but Guatemala is now the world’s largest producer.  Cardamom is hand picked so it is one of the more expensive spices closely trailing saffron and vanilla. 

It is a member of the ginger family and its taste and scent are hard to pinpoint.  It is pungent and acidic.  It is warm and citrusy with a lemon note.  It has undertones of eucalyptus and hints of spice and heat.  It is very potent and definitely discernible so a little goes a long way.  You might sometimes be tempted to add a little extra cumin or cinnamon.  Take care with cardamom until you have used it a few times! 

Because of the myriad of flavor components, cardamom is equally suited for sweet or savory applications.

It is most typically found ground in the supermarket but you can find the almond shaped green or brown pods online or in some whole/natural food stores where the inner seeds can be ground in a mortar and pestle.  Alternatively, the entire pod can be smashed and added to a braising liquid and removed prior to service.   

Cardmom is prevalent in Scandinavian, Dutch and East Indian cooking and is a staple in Turkish coffee.

Give Turkish Coffee Pudding a try for a small but rich and satisfying dessert.