Elettaria cardamomum seed

LATIN NAME: Elettaria cardamomum

COMMON NAME: Cardamom

Cardamom is the queen of the spice world, the fine, green pod that scents the tea and the rice of the East. The handsome, reed-like, perennial herb carries the long, narrow, glossy, dark-green leaves on the upright stems, and the small, white flowers open in the loose spikes near the ground, to be followed by the small, pale-green, three-angled seed capsules that hold the fine, dark, aromatic seeds. The dried capsules are one of the great spices of the world, prized for the fine, warm, sweet scent. It is a fine, generous plant of the warm, humid, sheltered garden. It is a plant of the deep, rich, moist, well-drained ground.

Scientific Research & Plant Biotechnology

Cardamom has carved a quiet but solid place in the plant science, and the herb has been studied for the small, pale-green seed capsules and the fine, dark, aromatic seeds within. The fine, warm, sweet scent of the seeds, which have a long record of use in the kitchens and the traditional practice of the East, has been looked at closely, and the plant keeps showing up in the work on the great spice crops and the aromatic seeds. The long, narrow, glossy leaves and the small, white flowers have also made it a fine garden plant, and it is a regular subject of the studies of the ginger family and the spice trade.

Ecological & Economic Value & Wide Applications

Cardamom does a lot of work in the kitchen and the wider world. The dried, pale-green capsules are one of the great spices of the world, scenting the teas, the rice dishes, the curries and the sweets of the East, and the fine, warm, sweet character of the seeds has made it one of the most prized of the spices. The handsome, reed-like herb is also a fine, generous addition to the warm, humid, sheltered garden, and the glossy, dark-green leaves keep it handsome through the year. It has been written up in the culinary and the agricultural papers for the fine, green capsules and the great spice trade, and it is a fine, generous plant of the warm, humid, sheltered garden.

Cardamom is one of the great spices of the world, and the small, pale-green, three-angled capsules hold the fine, dark, aromatic seeds that scent the teas and the rice dishes of the East. The handsome, reed-like herb with the long, narrow, glossy leaves is a fine, generous presence in the warm, humid garden.

To grow the cardamom from seed, sow the small, dark seeds at a shallow depth in pots of moist, free-draining soil, covering them thinly, keep them in a warm, humid, sheltered spot and water gently. The seedlings show themselves within a few weeks and grow on steadily. With the warmth, the humidity and the deep, rich, moist ground, the glossy, dark-green leaves and the fine, green capsules will be there in a few seasons.

Cardamom is the world’s third-most expensive spice, surpassed in price per weight only by vanilla and saffron. 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.
Green cardamom is one of the most expensive spices by weight, but little is needed to impart flavor. It is best stored in the pod, as exposed or ground seeds quickly lose their flavor. Grinding the pods and seeds together lowers both the quality and the price.
Elettaria cardamomum is a pungent, aromatic, herbaceous, perennial plant, growing to about 2–4 m (6 ft 7 in–13 ft 1 in) in height. The leaves are alternate in two ranks, linear-lanceolate, 40–60 cm (16–24 in) long, with a long pointed tip. The flowers are white to lilac or pale violet, produced in a loose spike 30–60 cm (12–24 in) long. The fruit is a three-sided yellow-green pod 1–2 cm (0.39–0.79 in) long, containing several (15-20) black and brown seeds.

Uses
The green seed pods of the plant are dried and the seeds inside the pod are used in Indian and other Asian Cuisines, either whole or ground. This is the most widely cultivated species of cardamom.