The 'Queen of Spices': Green Cardamom
This flavorful member of the ginger family can not only add a special flair to your holiday desserts, but it also has a fascinating history in traditional medicine.
Green cardamom belongs to the ginger family and is known as true cardamom, distinct from black cardamom, which originates from a different species. It is commonly employed in sweet desserts in Middle Eastern and Indian cuisine and ranks as the third most expensive spice globally! If you have ever savored a dark, rich Turkish coffee, that exceptional flavor in the brew is derived from the single cardamom pod included in the recipe.
Botanical Origins
The scientific name of green cardamom is Elettaria cardamomum, and it belongs to the Zingiberaceae (ginger) family, and originates in India. Green cardamom is a perennial shrub with thick, fleshy, lateral roots, capable of reaching a height of up to 8 feet. The fruits of this ginger relative are harvested for the highly aromatic seeds found inside. When mature, the green capsule turns yellow.
Green cardamom was first distinguished from black cardamom in the writings of Theophrastus, the 4th-century Greek scholar who authored "Historia Plantarum" or "Enquiry into Plants." Black cardamom actually comes from another genus, Amomum. The primary type of black cardamom in trade is also known as brown or Nepal cardamom, botanically referred to as Amomum subulatum. It is more commonly used in savory dishes.
Global Market
Although green cardamom is native to India, today it is cultivated on a large scale in other regions across the globe, including Guatemala and Tanzania. I was surprised to learn that Guatemala has actually surpassed India as the largest producer and exporter of green cardamom today. The species was introduced to Guatemala in the 1920s, and as the spice is not well integrated into Central American cuisine, the 13 to 14 thousand tons produced annually are dedicated solely to export. Cardamom is also a costly ingredient, ranking as the third most expensive spice by weight, following saffron and vanilla. Saudi Arabia is the largest global importer of cardamom, comprising 36% of the total market.
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