Organic Badi Elaichi (Black Cardamom), Dubdengreen (25gm)

Black cardamom is also known as Nepal cardamom, Greater Indian cardamom or brown cardamom. In India, it is commonly referred to as badi elaichi' or moti elaichi'.

The spice cardamom is known to have originated in India, Nepal, and Bhutan. The largest producer of black cardamom is Nepal, followed by India and Bhutan.

Structurally, cardamom is a pod, and the outside of it can be many colours depending on the region of production. Primarily, there are two varieties of cardamom  the small elettaria variety, which is the green or true cardamom, and the larger amomum variety that is the black, white, or red cardamom.

Unlike green cardamom, black cardamom pods have a dark brown, rough outer coat and are much bigger in size. They are dried over an open fire, which gives them a powerful smoky aroma.

Those who are unfamiliar with black cardamom think of it to be an inferior substitute for green cardamom, which is a misconception because the two spices have distinctly different flavours. Black cardamom has a smoky and camphor-like intense flavour, which does not make it suitable for sweet dishes that typically include green cardamom because of their mellow and fresh taste. Black cardamom is suited for hearty meat stews and plays well with bitter and prolonged cooking greens like collards. It also elevates bland lentils and rice dishes and is a frequent addition to many North Indian cuisines.

The intense flavour has put black cardamom in the "warming" spice category, along with black pepper, cloves, and chiles. Black cardamom is an important component of the world famous spice blend garam masala, which means ?warming mixture'.