4 Reasons It’s Time to Give Cardamom a Try
We’ve had our opportunities to wax poetic about an array of spices here at La Pitchoune. Not only do we get to demonstrate the beauty of flavor to our guests at the Courageous Cooking School, but we have spoken at length about some of our favorites, including oregano, sumac, cumin, and the process of decanting.
A spice we have yet to discuss the importance of? Cardamom.
Roasted Veggies Will Never Be The Same
Full, sweet yet sultry, and enigmatic. I cannot stress enough that cardamom is the holy grail for roasted veggies. Honestly, even without the added health benefits of cardamom, roasted vegetables will truly never be the same again.
Cardamom Has Been Used for Centuries
But before we get to that, cardamom actually may be one of the oldest recognized and used spices in the world. Ancient Egyptians relied on cardamom for its medicinal properties, and even used it during embalming ceremonies for their death rituals. They turned to cardamom for dental hygiene, believing it helped to clean their teeth and freshen their breath. In fact, many cultures consume cardamom pods after meals to help offset any bad breath they may be experiencing.
Cardamom is a Perfect Drink Garnish
Even if it doesn’t quite act as a breath freshener for you, it does have a bit of bite when added to a fruity cocktail. While we are partial to the way cardamom complements a gin cocktail, giving your margarita or tequila-based drink a kick of cardamom can be really interesting, flavor-profile wise. The best part is that it can be a fun pop of flavor on a fruity drink, and just as easily uplevel your next hot toddy.
Cardamom is Good For You
No matter how tasty and richly flavorful the spice is, what is even more impressive is its list of medicinal claims, as previously mentioned. Because of its anti-inflammatory and diuretic properties, cardamom may help lower blood pressure. It has been used for years to help with digestion, helping to relieve its users of nausea and discomfort.
The compounds in cardamom have been shown to help increase the activity of certain cancer-fighting enzymes. They are also being studied for causing an increase in airflow to the lungs, helping to open the airways, and improving breathing.
Chef Kendall has been using a lot of smoked black cardamom in the kitchen as of late. Their pods are pink and purple before being smoked over an open fire. It cuts the sweetness of traditional cardamom, and is perfect for larger portions and food that cooks slowly over time.
While some of the oldest recorded use of cardamom happened in Egyptian society, it is believed to have originally been found in the forests of southern India. The plant is now widely cultivated in Guatemala, Sri Lanka, and India because of their moist climates. When purchasing this spice, specifically, be sure to look into where it is sourced from. Not only does India provide some of the most high quality and oldest strains of cardamom in the world, they are such fond users of the spice that they have other varieties imported from Sri Lanka.
Here at the Courageous Cooking School we LOVE our spices and some of our favorites come from Curio Spice Co. Check out all the different cardamom types they have available!
