Benefits of Elachi Elakai / Cardamom: It is a common practice to serve cardamom pods after eating spicy dishes to freshen the breath.
Cardamom are the dried fruits of perennial herbs ,an aromatic spice . Cardamom seeds have a pleasant aroma and a characteristic slightly pungent , enticing warm, spicy-sweet flavour.
The whole pods can be added to dishes, or the seeds can be extracted and either added whole or ground.Cardamom is widely used in Indian cooking.
if you're using cardamom to flavour dishes such as stews and curries, lightly crush the whole pod and add it to the mixture. Cardamom also has an affinity with chocolate. Besides, adding taste to your recipe. Cardamom Powder boil in hot water to prepare cardamom tea.
It is used to flavor both sweet and savory dishes. It is also added to rich curries and milk-based preparations for its fragrance. Coffee are also spiced with cardamom,It is also an essential ingredient in garam masala.
Whats Cardamom ?
Cardamom ( Elaichi ) - known as the “Queen of Spices,” one of the world’s most expensive spice after vanilla and saffron.
It is a perennial plant of the family of Zingiberaceae, which also includes ginger and turmeric. The plant produces pods that contain 15 to 20 seeds each.
There are two main types of commercially available cardamom:
- Green cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum).
- Black cardamom (Amomum subulatum).
Because these two species grow at different elevations, regional cuisines and folk medicines tend to favor the species that is most common in their area. Southern Indian cuisine typically uses green cardamom and northern Indian and Nepalese cuisines favor the black. Both types have been used in traditional Unani and Ayurvedic medicines.