There are three main commercial types of cardamom: Black, Green, and White. All are members of the ginger family.<br /><br />Black Cardamom: Amomum subulatum & A. costatum<br />Family: Zingiberaceae<br />Black cardamom, is also known as hill cardamom, Bengal cardamom, greater cardamom, Nepal cardamom, winged cardamom, or brown cardamom.<br /><br />- A member of the ginger family, black cardamom is a close relative of green cardamom.<br />- Black cardamom has a strong camphor-like flavour, with a smoky character derived from the method of drying.<br />- Not suited to sweet baked goods - better suited to savoury recipes like long slow braised meet dishes.<br />- Pop a whole pod in a rice cooker next time you make rice.<br />- The pods are often used in Vietnam when making phở.<br />- Plays a prominent role in North India Curries. <br />- Would be a great addition to a BBQ dry rub, it would bring a smokey something that you can’t quiet describe.<br />- Can be used whole, ground whole, or remove the pod and just grind the seeds.<br />- Great pairings would be basil, fennel, garlic, lemongrass.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Green / White Cardamom: Elettaria cardamomum (L.) or Amomum cardamomum L.<br />Family: Zingiberaceae<br />Origin: India<br /><br />- Green pod with black seeds.<br />- Works well in savoury as well as sweet recipes.<br />- Great flavouring addition to coffee and tea, major component in Indian Masala Chai<br />- Major component of Garam Masala mix<br />- White cardamom is mostly seen in Scandinavian cooking.<br />- When first introduced to Scandinavia, (the story goes) cardamom had been on a lengthy sea voyage where exposure to sun, salt and air bleached the pods white and altered their flavour. <br />- Today bleaching green cardamom to white is a chemical process, that removes colour and the strongest menthol components, leaving a lighter sweeter fragrance.<br />- Can be used whole, ground whole, or remove the pod and just grind the seeds.<br />-10 pods roughly equals 1 1⁄2 tsp of ground cardamom.<br />- Store whole.<br />-Pairings: caraway, cinnamon, cumin, dill, juniper.<br /><br /><br />Both are ‘Warming’ spices
