Cardamom starts to bear at the 3rd year after planting. Cropping season is September to January. Capsules are picked before they are fully ripen and clipped off using scissors. Harvesting is done at 3 to 6 week intervals for around 03 months.
How is cardamom grown and harvested?
Harvesting and Storing Cardamom
After about three years from the time you plant cardamom, the clumps start to flower and bear fruits. In the late summer, the pods turn green and become dry. If left a little longer on the clump, the pods will explode and spread their seeds. So harvest them before they crack open.
How is cardamom obtained?
Cardamom fruits may be collected from wild plants, native to the moist forests of southern India, but most cardamom is cultivated in India, Sri Lanka, and Guatemala. The fruits are picked or clipped from the stems just before maturity, cleansed, and dried in the sun or in a heated curing chamber.
When should I harvest cardamom?
Harvesting and processing. Cardamom plants start bearing two or three years after planting suckers or seedlings, respectively. The capsules ripen within a period of 120-135 days after its formation. Harvesting period commences from June-July and continues till January-February in Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
How do you process whole cardamom?
Simply squeeze the pods and remove the seeds. Place them in the mortar (bowl) and begin to grind the seeds with the pestle. Continue grinding until the seeds are ground down to a fine powder and then proceed with your recipe.
What part of cardamom do we eat?
Cardamom’s deeply intense flavor and scent complements both sweet and savory dishes in a variety of cuisines. The seeds alone can be cracked or ground for use in cooking, or the whole pods can be thrown into a dish and removed before serving.
What part of the cardamom plant is used?
pods
What is Cardamom? Cardamom is a spice made from the seeds of two different species in the genera Elettaria and Amomum in the family Zingiberaceae. The spice is made from the seeds which are found in small, thin pods. The pods have triangular cross section and a paper-like outer covering.
Are cardamom pods poisonous?
Is cardamom poisonous? No. Cardamom seeds are safe to consume and are a prized spice.
Which country is the largest producer of cardamom?
India, formerly the foremost producer, consumer and exporter of small cardamom, is second to Guatemala which fortuitously is currently the largest producer of cardamom. India has reported substantial diversity in small cardamom and is considered to be the centre of origin of E. cardamomum.
Which is the first most expensive spice in the world?
saffron
By far, the most valuable spice in the world today is saffron. The dried stigmas of the saffron crocus plant can be purchased as saffron threads. A kilo of saffron costs, depending on the quality, 3,000-140,00 Euros.
Can you eat cardamom leaves?
Taste Friends
Cardamom Leaves makes an excellent addition to drinks, for instance in a fresh-tasting infusion or mixed with gin. The leaves can also be used in sauces or stocks. The product also combines very well with fish. Warming the leaves will bring out the best of its flavour.
Is cardamom a herb or spice?
Cardamom is a spice in the ginger family (Zingiberaceae) recognizable by its trigonal pod husks containing small black seeds. While native to subtropical Asia and a prominent ingredient in Indian cuisine, modern-day cardamom is also produced in Guatemala, Malaysia, and Tanzania.
What are the benefits of eating cardamom?
It may lower blood pressure, improve breathing and aid weight loss. What’s more, animal and test-tube studies show that cardamom may help fight tumors, improve anxiety, fight bacteria and protect your liver, though the evidence in these cases is less strong.
Do you grind the whole cardamom pod or just the seeds?
How to Cook with It: Steep whole pods (lightly crush them to release more flavor) in liquid where flavor can be slowly extracted over time. For greater potency, grind whole pods, and for even more potent flavor, extract the seeds and grind them on their own (the seeds can also be used whole or crushed).
Are cardamom seeds and pods the same thing?
Cardamom is a spice made from the seed pods of various plants in the ginger family. Cardamom pods are spindle-shaped and have a triangular cross-section. The pods contain a number of seeds, but the entire cardamom pod can be used whole or ground.
What is the difference between ground cardamom and cardamom pods?
Cardamom Pods vs.
Whole pods have a longer shelf life compared to ground cardamom, so if you don’t use it often, opt for the pods. Ground cardamom that is stored for longer periods of time will gradually lose the potency of this wonderfully flavorful spice.
What happens if you eat too much cardamom?
Loss of appetite. Nausea and vomiting after surgery. Sore mouth and throat. Urinary problems.
Is it OK to eat whole cardamom?
Whole pods are best used in recipes with some sort of liquid for the cardamom to infuse. The pods that encase cardamom seeds have little flavor on their own, but they are a handy way to keep the seeds contained. Crushing the pod slightly helps expose the aromatic seeds inside.
Does cardamom make you sleepy?
Treats sleep trouble: Inhaling the sweet and soothing aroma of cardamom essential oil may help in treating sleep issues such as insomnia, restlessness, and anxiety.
Can you eat cardamom seeds?
Cardamom comes from the seeds of several different plants that belong to the same family as ginger. It has a distinctive flavor that complements both sweet and savory dishes. People may use cardamom seeds and pods in curries, desserts, and meat dishes, as well as in beverages, such as coffee and chai tea.
Where does the best cardamom come from?
Species used for cardamom are native throughout tropical and subtropical Asia. The first references to cardamom are found in Sumer, and in the Ayurvedic literatures of India. Nowadays it is also cultivated in Guatemala, Malaysia, and Tanzania.
| Cardamom | |
|---|---|
| Family: | Zingiberaceae |
| Genera | |
| Amomum Elettaria |
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