Green cardamom is native to India, green cardamom comes from the Elettaria cardamomum. This is a perennial plant in the ginger family. When the seeds are blanched, it is referred to as ‘white cardamom’. An incredibly versatile spice, green cardamom has been cultivated in Nepal, Thailand, and Sri Lanka.  India still remains its main producer. In fact, India ranks highest in the world for both the production and cultivation of green cardamom.

Cardamom has been referred to as far back as ancient Indian Sanskrit texts and was used by the Babylonians and Assyrians. In Alexandria, in 126 CE, it was thought you had a luxury business if you traded in cardamom. This was one of the rare spices that had an import tax on it. This spice was not well known to Europeans until the 19th century, however.

Known for flexibility in usage, green cardamom is a common ingredient in baking.  Often it is added to curries, stews, and bread. It can also be found in many kinds of desserts. It is especially common in chai tea. It is used in Nordic countries to sweeten Scandinavian Yule bread, Swedish sweet buns, and Finnish sweet bread. It is an important part of the spice mix masala and is used in Thai curry pastes.

Green cardamom is aromatic with hints of eucalyptus, rosemary, lemon, and pepper. It tastes citrusy and sweet.

Also known as: Elettaria cardamomum, هيل أخضر