CARDAMOM
Green Cardamom
Green elaichi is one of the best types of elaichi. The Cardamom Green is native to southern India and Sri Lanka but is now also cultivated in countries like Thailand, Nepal and Central America. It is usually harvested by hand since the multiple pods of each plant mature at its own pace, making it the third most expensive spice after saffron and vanilla. It is considered as one of the “luxury” spices. There are two types or varieties – the larger size Mysore green cardamom, intense green colour and triangular fruits providing resinous hints of pine and eucalyptus, and the Malabar cardamom with a softer aroma.
White Cardamom
When we talk about White Cardamom, we must distinguish between two types – the white cardamom that comes from bleaching the green pods and the so-called Siam cardamom. The white cardamom Siam has a very similar flavour to the green. The Cardamom bleaching is mainly used in Indian cooking and Indonesia, while Siam is mainly used in Thailand and Cambodia. Any of the varieties is mainly used to dress soft sauces, desserts and drinks..
Black Cardamom
The Black Cardamom is a seed about 2 to 5 centimetres grown in Nepal, Vietnam and China. This cardamom does not belong to the same family as green cardamom and should not be confused with Chinese black cardamom, although its flavours do not differ much from one variety to another. In traditional Chinese medicine, Black Cardamom is used to treat common digestive disorders, ranging from stomach pain or flatulence, as well as indigestion and nausea. It is used as a spice in Chinese cuisine especially in the province of Sichuan to prepare casseroles and stews, such as Wuxi Pork Chops, Duck in Brine, stewed meat, etc. In Vietnam, it is used to prepare the broth for noodles