Description

Black cardamom is a popular Indian spice, called badi elaichi or kali elaichi, that is used in many of the cuisine’s signature dishes. It is in the form of seed pods, which are dark brown to black in color and take on a smokey flavor due to the way they are dried. Cardamom is used for its bold and assertive taste and is the world’s third-most expensive spice, surpassed in price per weight only by vanilla and saffron. Both the pods and the seeds are used in cooking and available year-round.

What Does It Taste Like?

Black cardamom is dried over an open fire creating a distinct smoky aroma and flavor. This spice also has notes of resin and camphor, as well as menthol, a slightly minty aroma that provides balance to an otherwise funky flavor. These intense, heady notes put black cardamom in the “warming” spice category, along with black pepper, cloves, and chiles.

Cooking With Black Cardamom

The black cardamom pods are mostly used whole and almost always fried in a little oil to cause it to fully release its flavors and aroma. Before adding to a dish, the pods can also be crushed slightly to reveal the seed. When a recipe calls for black cardamom powder, remove and discard the skin, grind the seeds in a clean, dry coffee ginjer and use immediately. You can also grind the whole pod and strain through a colander to remove the outer skin.

The black cardamom pods benefit from long, slow cooking times in moist heat, and work well with other strong-flavored spices. If using ground, a little goes a long way, so the spice should be used sparingly.