Cardamom is a spice that people have used for centuries both in cooking and as a medicine. Species used for cardamom are native throughout tropical and subtropical Asia. The first references to cardamom are found in Sumer, and in the Ayurvedic literature of India. Nowadays, it is also cultivated in some other countries, such as Guatemala, Malaysia, and Tanzania. Cardamom is the world's third-most expensive spice, surpassed in price per weight only by vanilla and saffron.
Cardamom comes from the seeds of several different plants that belong to the same family as ginger. Cardamom has a strong, unique taste, with an intensely aromatic, resinous fragrance. Black cardamom has a distinctly more smoky, though not bitter, aroma, with a coolness some consider similar to mint. The distinctive flavor complements both sweet and savory dishes, though only the green variety is mostly used in sweet dishes. People may use cardamom seeds and pods in curries, desserts, and meat dishes, as well as in beverages, such as coffee and chai tea.
People may also take cardamom as a supplement for its health benefits. Cardamom contains phytochemicals that have anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties.
Please note that this is the ground and powdered version of Cardamom, and, although it's much more convenient to use. it has a much shorter shelf life than whole cardamom.
