Cardamom

spice · seeds · tropical

Seeds in pods. Cardamom grows inside small, spindle-shaped seed pods that are triangular when you slice them crosswise. Inside each pod are tiny black seeds that pack tons of flavor.

From two places. Cardamom comes from two plant families, Elettaria and Amomum, that originally grew in India and Indonesia. Both are part of the ginger family of plants.

Two types, different colors. Green cardamom pods are light green and smaller, while brown cardamom pods are dark brown and much bigger. They have slightly different flavors and are used in different dishes.

Warm spicy smell. Cardamom has a warm, slightly sweet, and spicy smell that smells a bit like mint and cloves mixed together. A little bit goes a long way in cooking.

Sweet and savory uses. Cardamom flavors everything from Indian curries and rice dishes to Scandinavian baked goods and coffee. It's one of the most expensive spices after saffron and vanilla.