This exquisite spice, according to legend, was still cultivated in the gardens of Babylon. She belonged to the most expensive along with saffron and vanilla, so only very wealthy people could afford her. We are talking about cardamom, which is now available everywhere, but about which many housewives know so little. What cardamom seasoning is, where to add it to improve the taste, and what useful properties it has, will be known from this article.

The chemical composition of cardamom

Before you begin to analyze the composition of cardamom into molecules and atoms, you must first of all say a few words about what they most often mean by pronouncing the word “cardamom”. Usually refers to the fruits (seeds) of the herbaceous perennial of the Ginger family, growing in Ceylon, Sri Lanka and the Malabar coast (south) of India.

Due to its chemical composition and taste, cardamom is widely used in cooking, perfumes and as a medicinal plant, since it consists of 8% of essential oils.

The remaining 92% comes from water, dietary fiber, ash, vitamins, minerals and phytosterols, which help control blood cholesterol.

Among the metals that make up the seeds, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, sodium and zinc can be distinguished. Moreover, in terms of the content of natural zinc, cardamom is a record holder among all other spices.

Vitamins of group B (B1, B2, B3), retinoids (vitamin A), ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and nicotinic acid (vitamin PP) are an impressive list of useful substances that enter the body along with the seeds of this plant.

If we talk about nutritional value, then cardamom spice is 68.47% carbohydrates, 10.76% protein, 6.7% fat and 11.29% fiber. The calorie content of this product can be a little frightening - 331 kcal / 100 g, but since it is used in very small doses, it will not only not damage the figure, but, on the contrary, will help to reduce weight due to its properties.

Taste features and smell

To quickly refresh your breath, it’s enough to chew on cardamom seeds for a short time. This feature of the spice is explained by its taste and antibacterial properties.

The taste of cardamom is extremely burning, and its smell is quite delicate, representing a whole bouquet of aromas of lemon, eucalyptus and camphor.

If the spice is ground into powder, it will lose its flavor very quickly, therefore, it is advised to remove seeds from the boxes and grind them immediately before use, and store ground cardamom only in a sealed container and not longer than two months.

What dishes suits

Despite the high cost of "paradise seeds" (as in India, in the homeland of spices, sometimes called cardamom), they are widely used in cooking. They are added to the first and second courses, desserts, pastries and drinks. The spice can be used solo or as part of various ready-made spicy mixtures (for example, garam masala or curry).

  • In the food industry, cardamom is used as a flavor in the manufacture of various sausages and pastes. In this case, it is combined with nutmeg, caraway seeds or saffron.
  • As for home use, in different countries they prefer to use spices in different ways. Chefs in Western Europe add cardamom to soups (especially those that contain legumes), vegetable purees, stews, and solyanka. Asian culinary specialists cannot imagine the taste of traditional pilaf without this spice.
  • In one, all the cuisines of the world are unambiguous about cardamom: this spice is perfect for any kind of meat and fish. Heat treatment allows the aroma to be revealed in the most complete way, so the spice is added to dishes of stewed, fried, boiled meat or poultry. In this case, a set of spices can complement garlic and onions. In fish or seafood dishes, red or cayenne pepper will make cardamom company.
  • Cardamom is often used in the confectionery business: baking gingerbread, gingerbread, muffins, rolls, cakes, cookies and other bakery products. The scope of application of this spice is also extensive in the process of preparing drinks from non-alcoholic (coffee, tea, kvass, jelly, compote) to alcoholic (beer, wine, liquors, homemade liquors and tinctures, punches).

How can I replace the spice

It is worth noting immediately that, alas, it will not be possible to find an absolutely identical substitute for this spice. No seasoning combination can fully repeat the spicy aroma of cardamom. Therefore, in dishes whose taste does not rely entirely on this spice, and where it needs less than half a teaspoon, you can simply omit this product from the list of ingredients without significant loss.

If the recipe indicates one teaspoon of this spice, then you can try replacing it with one of the combinations:

  • in fish and meat dishes, equivalents can be half a teaspoon of powdered allspice;
  • for curry and other meat delicacies, you can put in return 0.5 teaspoon of caraway seeds and 1 teaspoon of coriander;
  • for pickles, rice and meat, the combination of spices replacing cardamom will be: 0.5 teaspoon ground ginger and 0.5 teaspoon cinnamon;
  • in the preparation of sweets, in baking and other desserts, a substitute may be 0.5 teaspoon of nutmeg and the same amount of cinnamon oil.

Of course, none of the above options can be an analogue of cardamom, but recipes with such substitutions will work, and the dish will turn out delicious.

Cooking Application

When cardamom is indicated in cooking recipes, green cardamom (herbaceous plant seeds) is most often implied.

This spice is combined with the following spices:

  • nutmeg;
  • saffron;
  • black pepper;
  • zira;
  • cinnamon;
  • cloves.

An important feature that should be taken into account during the cooking process: cardamom needs time to fully reveal its aroma. Therefore, it is better to add it at the very beginning of the heat treatment, and at the end of it, remove the spice from the finished dish.

Before adding the pods it will be useful to gently break, but so as not to damage the seeds. This is done in cases where it is intended to use whole, not ground, spices.

How to make coffee, cardamom tea

Healers of the Ancient East believed that cardamom is able to cope with any disease, therefore, for preventive and therapeutic purposes, it was added to such popular drinks as tea and coffee.

Coffee with cardamom is also called Bedouin, and it is prepared from the following set of products per serving:

  • 120 - 160 ml of drinking water;
  • 2 teaspoons of roasted coffee beans;
  • 8 to 10 cardamom seeds extracted from the box;
  • sugar at will.

Cooking Algorithm:

  1. Grind coffee and cardamom together in a coffee grinder into fine dust.
  2. Pour water into a copper Turk, add freshly ground powder, mix and send to moderate heat.
  3. As soon as the foam with the first signs of boiling appears on the surface, the Turk should be removed from the heat immediately so that the coffee does not have time to boil, and the foam breaks out.
  4. The cup in which the drink will be served must be heated, then carefully transfer the foam into it and pour the aromatic drink. To taste and add sugar.

Such hot coffee will help to cool even in the most intense heat, while cardamom tea, on the contrary, can warm you in the cold season.

To prepare it in two servings you will need:

  • 250 ml of milk;
  • 250 ml of purified water;
  • ¼ teaspoon grated ginger root;
  • 5 pods of cardamom;
  • 2 tablespoons of black tea;
  • sugar to taste.

How to make cardamom tea:

  1. Bring water and milk in a pan of the appropriate displacement to a boil.
  2. While the milk is boiling, grate the right amount of fresh ginger root and then send it along with tea and sugar into a boiling liquid.
  3. After boiling tea for three minutes, add cardamom and boil for another two minutes. Then remove the drink from the heat, strain and pour into cups.

Usually, Darjeeling tea is used in this recipe, which is called “tea champagne” for its taste, but it can be replaced with any other kind of black tea.

Useful properties of cardamom for humans

The aroma of cardamom will not only make even the most familiar dishes tastier, but will also have a beneficial effect on the human body.

Read also:coriander

So, the use of this spice is capable of:

  1. Stimulate the production of gastric juice and the work of the stomach, so if you are heavy in it, you only need to chew on the seeds of this spice for a little while, and the discomfort will pass.
  2. A decoction or infusion of cardamom seeds in combination with coriander and ginger will help get rid of flatulence, hiccups, cramps and bloating.
  3. A “hot” spice can heat the body from the inside and improve blood circulation in the lungs, so it will help to cope with bronchitis, colds and even asthma.
  4. A pinch of cardamom can reduce cravings for sweets, which helps to quickly come to more harmonious forms.
  5. Paradise seeds are recognized as an aphrodisiac, so cardamom is able to act as a prophylactic against impotence, as well as significantly improve the quality of sexual life.

In conclusion, it can be noted that cardamom is a spice that can not only turn the most ordinary dish into an exquisite delicacy, adding “zest” to it, but also make a person healthier.

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