The Tasty Benefits Of Using Softer Cardamom Seeds

Cardamom is known as the Scandinavian spice, although the plant is native to India (thank the Vikings for its journey to the frozen north). It has a smoky, flowery, spicy aroma and flavor with a hint of lemon. Cardamom adds great interest and depth to recipes ranging from pastries to curry stews. It comes in little pods that are about 1/3- to 1/2-inch across and contain tiny, softer seeds — that's where the flavor is.

Most people are familiar with the black cardamom pods, which are really dark brown, but there is also green cardamom. Although they are both known as cardamom, they come from different plants. Black cardamom has a smoky flavor and a hint of minty menthol, while green cardamom is sweeter with a honey aroma. You can find both, online and in your local grocery store. There's also white cardamom, which has been bleached and has a milder flavor.

While some recipes call for adding the whole cardamom pod to the rest of the ingredients, there are tasty benefits of using softer cardamom seeds.

While you can buy ground cardamom at any grocery store, it's best to use the pods for the most intense flavor. Whether you choose black or green cardamom, it's the seeds you want. While the pod husk is edible, it can be difficult to chew.f you are making a comforting stew with tender meat and soft vegetables, you really don't want to bite into a pod.

To remove the seeds, you need to crush the pod. You can use the container the pods came in, the side of a chef's knife, or a mortar and pestle. Press down on the pod until it cracks open and the seeds spill out.

The seeds are much softer than the husks and will blend beautifully into any recipe you'd like. After you remove the seeds, you can process them further. A mortar and pestle are best for this since the tiny seeds will only whirl around in a food processor or blender.

Now that you know how to use these delicious little seeds in recipes, be advised that this spice is very strong. For maximum flavor, crush the pods and remove the seeds just before you're ready to use them. You can use the whole pods if you are enclosing spices in a cheesecloth bag to add to mulled wine, for instance, according to The Guardian. You can also grind the whole pod and use the resulting powder for a very intense flavor. Grinding black cardamom will intensify the smoky element of the aroma.

If you want to try a unique recipe, Johnny Iuzzini's coffee cardamom eclairs use whole cardamom pods that are steeped in milk to make a fragrant pastry cream. A garlic and spice grilled leg of lamb is great for entertaining, and chicken curry (kukul mas) is a comforting yet slightly spicy recipe for a cold night.