Cardamom - what is it? This question can not be answered by all people who are fond of cooking. But still this spice is worth considering in more detail. Cardamom, the application of which is also of considerable interest to those who want to deepen their knowledge of seasonings, is of Eastern origin. It was used in antiquity for the preparation of incense - it was mentioned by Theophrastus. In his work, which was written shortly after the return of Alexander of Macedon from India, Theophrastus gave Indian spices a number of pages, describing them in detail. Cardamom was not an exception. What it is, the ancient scientist was very vague. But I was not too lazy to supplement my story with fictitious details.
Cardamom - what is it?
This spice is still widespread in the world cuisine. It is mainly important for baking, sweets, a variety of desserts and sugary drinks. Strong and pleasant aroma, which has cardamom (photos show only its nondescript appearance), causes a feeling of warmth, and still there are notes of freshness. The latter are successfully emphasized by the addition of not very sweet spices, such as zira, coriander and some others. Boxes of cardamom are collected in an immature form, when they have not had time to darken. The green color of the shells is a very important sign of quality spice. Therefore, for its safety, cardamom is treated with soda ash, and then dried in special ovens. There are disagreements among specialists as to whether there is essential oil in the shells of grains. Some believe that it is not there at all. Others say that it is contained, but in a smaller amount. From the cardamom shells comes a weak aroma. They can be used to repel moths like lavender. They can also flavor sugar or herbal teas. Seeds have a much more burning taste and aroma. Sometimes cardamom is bleached. Some prefer the green version of this spice.
A little bit more interesting about cardamom and its application
There are two more subspecies of this spice. One of them is called "paradise grains", and the other is black cardamom. Both are much more burning than regular cardamom. What is it and what are the features of these spices, you can imagine, imagining a fragrance, average between the smell of ginger and black pepper. In their seeds, more resinous notes. This gives them specificity and makes them less popular. Often cardamom is used in mixtures of spices that are made in North Africa. For example, in Morocco it is used to produce liqueurs and balms with complex flavors. In Nepal and India, this spice is very often also an integral part of various mixtures. In South-East Asia, young shoots and cardamom leaves are used for food. They are added to dishes from rice for flavoring. The fruits there are medicines. The most traditional use of cardamom in Thai cuisine is in desserts. Along with the badyan. In Europe, cardamom is traditionally a component of winter warming beverages. For example mulled wine.