Kapulaga jawa - white cardamom

Unique! Dthis round cardamom or white cardamom (白豆蔻) is considered the best substitute for green cardamom, the “queen of spices”, in terms of flavor palette. In Indonesiaë This false cardamom 'kapulaga jawa' is more widely used, and even more appreciated, than the green 'real' cardamom.

Exclusive!

The round, cream-colored seed pods of the Wurfbainia compacta, also called Amomum compactum, contains seeds, with aromatic properties which are similar to those of Green cardamom, albeit slightly less spicy. For connoisseurs, this white cardamom is not a substitute, but the ultimate.

The plant  grows naturally in evergreen, tropical deciduous forests under moist, shady conditions, primarily in hilly areas between 200 and 1,000 meters in altitude. Our "Bái dòukòu 白豆蔻" is being grown in the Changbai Mountains in northeastern China.

The plant grows to two to four meters tall and has a rhizomatic root system very similar to that of the ginger plant. Its growth habit is very compact, and the leaves are lance-shaped with a pointed tip, 50-100 cm long and 10-15 cm wide. The plant flowers from the rhizome, close to the ground. The fruits ripen six to eight weeks later.

The White cardamom is harvested from the fourth year onwards, at intervals of 35-45 days. In Java, harvesting occurs four times: twice during the wet season from January to July, and twice during the dry season from August to December. The berries grow in clusters and are also harvested (cut) in clusters. Afterwards, the berries are individually picked and laid out in the sun to dry.

Initial harvests are usually meager, but yields increase over time.

The clusters They consist of 5-18 seed pods, each 1-1.5 cm in diameter. They are covered in downy hairs and contain brown to black seeds encased in a whitish jelly (arylus). When ripe, the fruits are reddish-violet in color, with a white cap, a remnant of the flower. As they dry, the fruit pods turn pale crimson.êColorful, like candlenut. The jelly dries out during the drying process .

The pod is relatively easy to crack; small fruits are easiest to open, just like green cardamom, with a sharp knife.

White cardamom is often used in Indian cuisine because it has a slightly sweet taste with tones of cinnamon and citrus. White cardamom works well with other spices like coriander and cumin in curries or stews. It also pairs well with ginger, nuts, and coconut milk.

White cardamom is a familiar sight in Indonesian cuisine, used in traditional Indonesian dishes like rendang, opor, gulai, and curry. The fragrant and strong aroma of the "kapulaga putih" elevates these dishes to an even higher level. Used to green cardamom? Use with caution (it takes some getting used to).

White cardamom powder? No

White cardamom powder is becoming not obtained from this white cardamom, but from green cardamom. To obtain the pale shade, the cardamom is treated with a bleaching solution of potassium metabisulfite and hydrogen peroxide. Traditionally it happened this turned out in a solution of soap nuts.

The bleaching process causes the cardamom to lose its eucalyptus aroma, a desirable effect (!) which is why this powder is commonly used in baking and confectionery. That is the essential difference between bleached white cardamom powder and ground white cardamom.

Smell and taste

White cardamom is less pungent but spicier than "true" green cardamom, allowing its flavor palette, closely related to green cardamom, to better express itself. The aromas are primarily found in the seeds.

The main flavour components are:

• 1,8 cineole (up to 70%), camphor/eucalyptus, mint, refreshing,
• β-pinene (16%), camphorated, woody, cedar cone,
• α-pinene (4%), warm, cedar apple, sharp, like nutmeg
• α-terpineol (5%), smoky cedar apple, as in lapsan souchon tea,
• humulene (3%), cannabis aroma, also present in sage and mint.

Usage

The dried fruits are cut open so that only the seeds can be used. As used in city ​​rice or Khao Buri, a Thai massaman curry, but also in other curries. The seed pod is often crushed before use in curries and, like bay leaves or cloves, is removed after cooking.

In Vietnam, white cardamom is used in beef pho. In Indonesia, for example, it's used in the Balinese lamb stew kambing mekuah or in es teh kapulaga (spicy creamy iced milk with kapulaga).

In Southeast Asia, an extract of this cardamom is available and used as a vanilla substitute in ice cream, whipped cream, and custard.

Features:

• 100% dried fruits of the Wurfbainia compacta
• origin: Northern China (regular cultivation)

Assortment

• available in glass (20 grams) and stand-up pouch
• 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.

Save:

• store your cardamom preferably in a dark, dry and cool place
• best before September 2027 (09-2027)
• 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.