Green cardamom 'bold'

Cardamom is the "queen of spices," black pepper the "king." It's no wonder both originate from the Malabar Mountains on the west coast of India. Our cardamom doesn't come from there, but from Guatemala.

Stock item: expected!

Indian cardamom is primarily intended for domestic use. Only the finest pods are used for our cardamom. The "bold" variety is the premium quality with intact, uniformly colored pods. On average, these cardamoms contain around eighteen seeds.

The Elettaria is a plant from the ginger family, and like Mbongo is closely related to the Chinese (hairy) cardamom, the korarima (false cardamom) and grains of paradise. Green cardamom is the "true" cardamom.

The pods grow on the plant's rhizome, just above the ground. They don't all ripen at the same time, making harvesting time-consuming and quite expensive. For optimal flavor, the way the pods are handled after harvest is essential. The flavor of the pods develops (or not) during the drying process. Drying toughens the papery seed coat, which prevents the essential oils within the reddish-brown seeds from evaporating.

We source our cardamom from an umbrella organization of corporations in the Central Highlands of GuatemalaThis has been around since 1976 and operates according to traditional Mayan principles. and upholds democratic values: “The world is a gift from the gods, and nature should be treated with respect.” With great attention to the conservation of biodiversity. The Many farmers united in the organization have a voice and are supported financially and logistically.

Some of the corporation's projects include education on nature management, projects to implement reforestation, improving healthcare and education, and promoting the participation of women in all positions within the organization.

In Guatemala, cardamom is divided into quality classes;

• class 1, green color, closed capsules, divided into 4 types according to size, 1 to 4 from largest to smallest,
• class 2, light green to yellow, maximum 3% empty capsules, divided into two types according to size,
• class 3, lots 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 large (black) cardamom and has a distinctly different flavour 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, camphor-like flavour of black pepper, among other things, with citrus and pine notes
• linalool, responsible for the fresh floral scent
• D-limonene (dipentene), sweet orange flavor, found in modest amounts in nutmeg and mace,
• β-myrcene, spicy aroma, with notes of fruits (mango, grape, peach) and mint,

Usage

Cardamom is used in various spice blends, including garam masala, bâhârat, ras el hanout, jhoug, five-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 within 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 rather than 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 leave the outer layer untouched.

To grind smaller amounts of cardamom seeds, use a mortar and pestle or a rolling pin. Don't grind more than you plan to use in a short period of time, as the aroma dissipates quite quickly.

Always cook the cardamom briefly with the dish to get the most out of it.

Recipes):

Why not organic?

To be able to supply this organically grown cardamom under the organic label, we, as a packer/producer, must be certified. We are not. Although we process and store organic and conventionally grown products strictly separately, we are therefore not (yet) permitted to use the organic label.

Features:

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

Assortment

• available in glass (45 grams) and stand-up pouch (no test tubes)
• larger quantities on request

Gift wrapping

• 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:

• save your green cardamom in closed packaging
• preferably store in a dark, dry and cool place
• best before ---
• This expiration date is an indication

Batch number

The batch number helps us track which batch an item originates from. It's listed on the packing slip and invoice.