Cardamom

The queen of Spices, spice consisting of whole or ground dried fruits, or seeds, of Elettariacardamomum, a herbaceous perennial plant of the ginger family (Zingiberaceae). The seeds have a warm, slightly pungent, and highly aromatic flavour somewhat reminiscent of camphor. They are a popular seasoning in South Asian dishes, particularly curries, and in Scandinavian pastries.

Introduced to Europe in the mid-16th century, cardamom bears a name that blends the Greek words for “spice” and “cress.” The name is sometimes mistakenly applied to similar spices in the ginger family, but it properly describes two related varieties of the spice, black and green, the latter being the more common. Black cardamom is aromatic and smoky, whereas green cardamom has a milder flavour.