Cardamom

About

Cardamom pods have a sharp, medicinal aroma with clear notes of camphor and eucalyptus, similar to bay leaves and rosemary. As a member of the ginger family, it also carries a citrus, floral quality, with the balance between eucalyptus and floral-citrus notes varying by growing region. Either way, its fresh character cuts through richness, making it especially good with cream, chocolate, nuts, or buttery rice.

Pairs well with cardamom

• WoAlmondNordic baking makes heavy use of cardamom alongside almond: Finnish pulla is a cardamom-spiced plaited bread, Norwegian goro is a thin…
• SpCinnamonThe two spices are traditionally paired in Indian and Pakistani milk-based desserts for a sweet, aromatic note.
• RoChocolateDark chocolate's smooth flavor acts as a neutral backdrop that lets cardamom's citrus, eucalyptus and warm floral notes stand out; even a…
• CrCoconutIn Indian rice puddings and the fudge-like sweet barfi, cardamom's complex citrus-eucalyptus flavor lends a sense of sophistication to…
• CiGingerCardamom belongs to the ginger family, and the relationship shows more in flavor than appearance, both have warming, citrus-tinged…
• FfVanillaTwo of the more expensive spices, luxurious when combined in a crème pâtissière for a fruit tart or in ice cream, where their sweet,…
• BrBaconBlack cardamom, a relative of green cardamom, is smoke-dried over fire, giving it a stronger, more bitter, smoky flavor that can lend a…
• MeLambIn Kashmir, cardamom enriches goshtaba, lamb meatballs made by pounding meat with suet into a very soft texture.
• WoCarrotThe two combine in gajar halwa, an Indian dessert served at weddings and during the Diwali festival.
• RoCoffeeBedouin-style Arabic coffee grinds coffee beans and cardamom together in roughly equal measure, a preparation also common in North Africa;…
• CrBananaBanana and cardamom combine in a cooling raita: mashed banana is mixed with ground cardamom, a pinch of dried chili and yogurt, adjusted…
• FrPearThe pair works in an upside-down cake or tarte Tatin, but is especially good when pear keeps some crisp fruitiness as a contrast to…
• CrApricotCardamom and apricot appear together in Danish pastries, crumbles and jams, and dried apricots poached in cardamom syrup are a Kashmiri…
• CrMangoA popular Indian combination: cardamom's brightness and yogurt's sourness can rescue an overripe mango in a lassi, made by blending mango…
• GrSaffronSaffron shares cardamom's affinity for rich, creamy dishes and complements its lemon-like notes; the two pair well in ice cream, custard…
• FfCoriander SeedBoth spices carry citrus notes.
• FfRoseGulab jamun, an Indian dessert of deep-fried milk-dough balls soaked in syrup, ranks among the sweetest desserts in the world alongside…
• FfWhite ChocolateA cardamom-infused white chocolate bar recalls the flavor of sweet, spiced, milky Indian desserts like kheer and kulfi.