Cardamom…the forgotten spice? If you dig far enough into your pantry you’ll probably find an old spice bottle or tin full of cardamom and wonder, “Did I ever use this stuff?” Let me share a few things with you. First, that bottle or tin probably needs to be thrown out. If you open it and smell it and it smells like dust, it’s gone. That whole fresh spice thing is another blog though. Second, it is used frequently in Indian foods. Third, it’s expensive! (about $12 a bottle for ground cardamom) I haven’t done a complete investigation but cardamom rates right up there with Saffron as far as cost. Not to worry. I’m talking about if you walk into Safeway or Lucky’s it’s expensive. If you search a bit for an Indian or Asian market near you, you’ll find it’s much more affordable. If you travel through Dubai by any chance…pick it up there. If at all possible, buy it whole and grind it yourself. I prefer “green cardamom” to the regular brown cardamom. I think it has more aroma and flavor. You can find recipes that include this exotic spice here. It can be used in pod form with cinnamon sticks and saffron for a nice aromatic rice or it can be used in ground form to make a nice, spicy pulao (Indian rice). Whether you’re making fresh bread, curry, lamb or chicken, if you’re tired of the same old-same old try using cardamom in your next meal. Try grinding it (1T cardamom, 2T cumin, 1/2t cinnamon, 1/2t nutmeg and maybe one star anise) for a good pulao spiced rice.
This just in…cardamom at Whole Foods is $42 per pound. Don’t worry, you won’t need a pound and that’s a pretty good price. But, I just found it at Peet’s Coffee (of all places) for $6.95 a bottle. Also a good price. And the comparison with saffron? Whole Foods: Cardamom = $42 lb., Saffron = $15,000 lb. Yes that's 15 with three zeros.
