Cardamom

Green Cardamom Botanical Name: Amomum cardamon, Elettaria cardamomum.Europe: English: Green Cardamom, German: (Grüner) Kardamom, (Grüner) Cardamom, Spanish: cardamono, Portuguese: Cardamomo, Italian: Cardamomo (verde), Dutch: Kardemom, Russian: KardamonAfrica: Hebrew: Hel, Arabic: Hal, HailAsia: Hindi: Elaichi, Choti elaichi, Singhalese: Enasal, Sri Lankan: Enasal, Malay: Buah pelaga, Indonesian: Kapulaga, Kepillaga, Thai: Krava, Luk krava, Chinese: Wok lok uvat , Sha jen, Pai tou k'ou, Japanese: KarudamonWhite cardamomGreen cardamom blanched with sulfur dioxide. Not very fragrant, to be avoided.Black cardamomSynonyms: Nepalese cardamom, Brown C. Botanical name: Amomum subulatum, Elettaria cardamomumEurope: English: Nepal cardamom, Greater Indian cardamom, German: Nepal-Cardamom, Schwarzer Cardamom, Spanish: Cardamomo negro, Italian: Cardamom nero, Dutch: Zwarte kardemomAsia: Sanskrit: Upakunchika, Hindi: Kali elaichi, Badi elaichi, Bigillachi Cardamom is a plant native to India. Its seeds, from the black fruit, have a peppery flavor. Very aromatic, they are used to flavor gingerbread. In cosmetology, in addition to their aromatic properties, they have interesting fortifying properties. Cardamom is universally used in Indian cuisine, it is used in the composition of all curries and all masalas. There are three varieties, green, white and black. Green cardamom has a finer and sweeter flavor than black cardamom. Cardamom is used to flavor savory and sweet dishes. Its price, even in our time, remains high; it is comparable to that of saffron and vanilla. History: Originating from India where its use has been documented for more than 3000 years as an aromatic, medicinal plant and as a compound for perfumes and incense. It was very early imported into Black Africa and Arab countries to flavor coffee and as a component of ras-el-hanout. 1500 years BC, an Egyptian recorded its virtues on a papyrus. Cleopatra perfumed her palace with it during the visits of her lover and then husband Marc-Antoine. Greece and Rome imported cardamom by whole caravans. In 65, Pedanios Dioscorides extolled its virtues in the treatise "On materia medica" and warned against the power of its action, in particular its perfume which could be abortifacient. The Romans use it as a digestive during their excessive orgies. Ovid, in his poems, celebrates its perfume. It is not certain, however, that Greeks and Romans differentiate “our” maniguette cardamom. Certain descriptions they give could in fact correspond to the maniguette, Aframomum melegueta, aromatic and peppery, native to West Africa. Avicenna (980 - 1037), doctor and philosopher, in the "Canon of Medicine", indicates his Sovereign action against sore throats and coughs. It is used as a digestive in Europe, from the 13th century. Duarte Barbosa (1480 - 1521), the Portuguese navigator companion of Magellan, places its real origin on the Malabar coast, where its trade would be a monopoly of the local Radja. In Europe it is no longer used except in Scandinavian countries where it flavors cold meats, breads, pastries and hot drinks. However, it has been used to flavor gingerbreads since the 12th century. Properties: Stimulating Digestive Carminative Antiseptic (delays the putrefaction of food) Composition: Black cardamom (Amomum subulatum Roxb.) 3% essential oil - more than 70% of 1. 8-cineole- limonene, terpinene, d-alpha-terpineol, terpinyl acetate and sabineneGreen cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum, White and Mason)8% essential oil20 to 50% 1,8-cineole30% alpha-terpenyl acetatesabinene2 to 14% limoneneborneolLa plant: Green Cardamom: Ellateria cardamomum, Amomum cardamon Family of Zingiberaceae like ginger. Perennial, herbaceous plant, resembling a reed, from 2 to 5 m, grows at medium altitude (750 to 1500 m) in tropical rainforests. Wide and long leaves .Small and clear flowers.1cm long fruits with 3 compartments which contain 10 to 20 angular black and fragrant seeds.The color of the fruit depends on the variety: brown and round for the Cambodian, green and elongated for the Indian.This plant is native, like cinnamon, to the jungles of southern India and Sri Lanka, it has been acclimatized in Central and South America, Tanzania, Vietnam and Cambodia. Indian is considered of better quality .White cardamom is obtained by treating green cardamom pods with sulfur dioxide. Its aroma is less and its only interest is aesthetic. In West Africa, green cardamom is left to dry in the sun, its pods then become light yellow. Black Cardamom: Amomum subulatum Family Zingiberaceae Fruits larger than A. Cardamom (~ 3 cm) and dark brown with 40 to 50 seeds per pod Plant native to the East of the Himalayas, it currently grows from the Himalayas to the south of China and even in Africa. It is mainly used in China.