Cardamom Green Pods Whole (Fancy)

Known as the “queen of spices,” cardamom has a warm, sweet-spicy aroma and flavor. The pods grow on a tropical shrub in the ginger family and must be selectively harvested by hand just before they open. Each small, papery pod contains a dozen or more dark brown, slightly oily and aromatic seeds.

Whole cardamom pods are traditionally used in the Middle East and North Africa to flavor coffee. They are also used for teas (like chai masala) and added to savory dishes where the pods (not the seeds) are removed before serving. Ground cardamom — either freshly ground or cardamom powder — is widely used in Indian, Persian, Turkish, and Arabic cuisines and is found in spice blends like garam masala, baharat and ras el hanout. The flavor complements sweets and desserts as well, and in Scandinavia, cardamom is popular in cakes, cookies, and pastries.

As a mild stimulant, the warming spice was historically used in love potions as an aphrodisiac. Nowadays, medicinally, cardamom is more commonly used as a stomach soother and as a natural, effective treatment for bad breath.