Green cardamom 'bold'

Cardamom is the “queen of spices”, black pepper is the “king”. It is not without reason that both originate from the Malabar Mountains on the west coast of India. Our cardamom does not come from there, but from Guatemala.

Indian cardamom is mainly intended for domestic use. Only the best fruits are used for our cardamom. The 'bold' is the premium quality with cool, uniformly colored fruit boxes. On average, cardamoms contain about eighteen seeds.

The Elettaria is a plant from the ginger family, and, like Mbongo, is closely related to the Chinese (hairy) cardamom, the koarima (false cardamom) and grain of paradise. Green cardamom is the 'real' cardamom.

The 'pods' grow on the rhizome of the plant, just above the ground. They do not all ripen at the same time, which makes harvesting lengthy and quite expensive. For optimal taste, the way in which the pods are treated after harvest is essential. The flavor of the pods develops (or not) during the drying process. Drying makes the papery seed coat tough, which prevents the essential oil in the reddish-brown seeds from evaporating.

We source our cardamom from an umbrella organization in the Central Highlands of Guatemala. It has been around since 1976, and works according to traditional Mayan principles and honors democratic values: "The world is a gift from the gods, and nature should be treated with respect". With great attention to the preservation of biodiversity. The many farmers who are united in the organization have a voice and are supported financially and logistically.

Some of the corporation's projects include conservation education, projects to implement reforestation, improve health care and education, and promote women's participation in all positions within the organization.

Cardamom is distinguished in quality classes in Guatemala;

• class 1, green color, closed capsules, divided into 4 types depending on size, 1 to 4 from large to small,
• class 2, light green to yellow, maximum 3% empty capsules, divided into two types according to size,
• class 3, a lot of color variation, from green to brown, the capsules are (too) dry, and many capsules are open and/or empty.

Our cardamom is not called 'bold' for nothing, it belongs to class 1, type 1.

Smell and taste

Green cardamom is 'cooler' than the large (black) cardamom and has a clearly different flavor palette, determined by 1,8-cineole (eucalyptol), α-terpenil acetate and linalyl acetate:

• 1,8-cineole, eucalyptol, the refreshing taste of mint (and eucalyptus oil) 
• α-terpenil acetate, a combination of lavender and citrus (bergamot, lime) 
• linalyl acetate, responsible for a pleasant citrus, bergamot and lavender scent,
• sabinene, responsible for the woody, camphoraceous flavor of black pepper, among others, with citrus and pine cone notes
• linalol, responsible for the fresh floral scent
• D-limonene (dipentene), sweet orange flavor, modestly present in nutmeg and mace,
• β-myrcene, spicy aroma, with notes of fruits (mango, grape, peach) and mint,

Usage

Cardamom is used in various spice mixtures, including garam masala, bâhârat, ras el hanout, jhoug, 5-spice powder and gingerbread spices. Favorite combinations: nuts, fresh and dried fruit, butter, coriander, cloves and cinnamon.And what's more delicious than a biryani of (nutty) basmati rice with cardamom!

Because the aromas are contained in the seeds, the seed pod is 'cracked' before use by pressing firmly, for example with the handle of a chef's knife. The advantage of cracking over opening is that the seeds stay together and can be removed from the dish before serving. When you want to grind the seeds, you naturally open the seed pod and do not use the sheath.

To grind smaller amounts of cardamom seeds, use a mortar or a rolling pin. Do not grind more than you think you will use in the short term, the aroma dissipates quite quickly.

Always cook the cardamom briefly with the dish to get the maximum benefit from it.

Recipe(s):

Why not organic?

In order to be able to supply this organically grown cardamom under the organic label, we will have to be certified as a packer/producer. We are not. Although we process and store organic products and products from regular cultivation strictly separately, we are not (yet) allowed to use the organic label.

Features:

• 100% dried fruits of Eletteria cardamomum
• origin: Guatemala

Assortment

• available in glass and stand-up pouch (no test tubes)
  
• glass jar contains 45 grams
• stand-up pouches with a capacity of up to 30 to 500 grams
• larger quantities on request

Gift packaging

• the jar is available in a tasteful gift packaging, consisting of a cube box filled with black tissue paper
• for an overview of our gift packaging, please refer to the gift packaging section

General advice

• store cardamom in a dark, dry and cool place

Save:

• store your green cardamom in closed packaging
• preferably store in a dark, dry and cool place
• best before July 2026 (07-2026)
• this expiration date is an indication