_edited.jpg)
Cardamom is a spice used in cooking and baking all over the world. It is grown in places like Malaysia and Indian and thrives because of the hot tropical weather in these regions. Cardamom comes from the pods of plants in the ginger family. Its exterior is dry and hard. The flavor of the cardamom comes from the seeds inside the pod. They are of different sizes and are usually a dark grayish-brown color and, at times, black. The different colors of cardamom powder include white, black, and a greenish-gray. The greenish-gray colored powder is what you may see at your local supermarket. It is what I use in my kitchen when cooking or baking.
Pods & Seeds
For my savory dishes, I tend to use the pod with the seeds. I crack open the pods and allow the seeds to cook in hot oil to reach maximum flavor and other complimenting spices like cinnamon and cloves. I use this preparation process when cooking my sona masoori or basmati white rice. When preparing my masala chai tea, I break the seeds in a mortar by crushing them with a pestle and then allow the spices to boil in water
along with my tea mix. The cardamom, along with the other spices alloy and, reach a sweet and savory flavor. On occasion, I dry toast the cardamom seeds in a hot pan without oil. The toasting allows the cardamom to release their natural oils. Dry toasting the cardamom seeds will add a smokey and rich flavor to any dish.
Powder
Once toasted, you can grind the seeds and create cardamom powder. Cardamom powder may be used in savory dishes or curries. I occasionally use powder when taking a speedy byway in the kitchen. You would think that the food's flavor would diminish by using powder, but the cardamom powder is intense. Pods or powder, the end product is unbelievable. I also use cardamom powder when baking loaves of bread, sweet potato muffins, and preparing kheer, also known as Indian rice pudding. When cardamom is incorporated into other ingredients, such as deserts, they become tasty!
Whether you are trying to reach a spicy or sweet taste in your dishes, cardamom is one spice that you can count upon. In the comments below, share how you use cardamom in your kitchen? For some of our delicious recipes, follow us on Pinterest and subscribe to our YouTube channel, The Topper Chef. Happy Cooking!
Comments