You may already know the smoky-lemony flavor of cardamom. That’s because this ancient Indian spice from the ginger family can be found in many Indian dishes and curries…in chai tea…in Turkish coffee (the coffee is poured over a cardamom pod)…and in desserts such as stollen, a yeast bread with raisins and nuts popular in Germany and elsewhere in northern Europe. What many people don’t realize: This pungent spice not only adds wonderful flavor to main course dishes, beverages and desserts, but it also has healthful properties…
Medicinal properties: Ancient Greeks and Romans considered cardamom an aphrodisiac, and Egyptians cleaned their teeth with it. Today herbalists include it in compounds for indigestion, flatulence and kidney cleansing. In Ayurvedic medicine, cardamom is used to treat bronchitis and asthma.
Nutritional benefits: Cardamom has some fiber, protein, vitamin C and iron.
To enjoy: Ground cardamom can be found in the spice section of grocery stores. It also is available as white, green or black whole seeds or pods at some health-food, gourmet and spice specialty stores. (There is no difference in taste or health benefits based on color.)
Ways to use: To add a sweet, exotic flavor, sprinkle crushed or ground cardamom into coffee…onto a scoop of lemon sorbet or vanilla ice cream….over fruit…or in a smoothie. Add to rice…pancake batter…and meat and vegetable dishes. A little goes a long way—when you cook with cardamom, follow recipes closely, and when you experiment, go easy so that the flavor doesn’t take over the dish.
