It may seem strange, in the middle of winter, to be writing about an
herb, especially a tropical one. But this
is the time of year when I always enjoy a cup of cardamom tea, and cardamom is
also appropriate for the season of cold and ’flu. Elettaria
cardamomum, also known as green or white cardamom, is one of the two types
of “cardamom” used as a spice in Indian and other South Asian cooking (the
other is black cardamom, Amomum subulatum). Both are members of the ginger family,
but green cardamom is the herb I am discussing here. Its seeds are used as a medicine as well as a
flavoring spice.
Cardamom tastes cool, fresh,
slightly sweet and peppery, and makes a wonderful flavoring ingredient for everything
from curries, chutneys, pulses and rice to kulfi
(a kind of ice cream). (Cardamom kulfi is a great party treat and simple recipes
for it can be found on the internet. Even
though I usually don’t do dairy these days, I love it!) It also makes a great tea. Because cardamom can be quite expensive, it is
commonly used as a flavoring in black tea, or mixed with other spices and black tea
in chai, but I like it alone as well. It
is important to buy cardamom seeds still in their papery pods, and only take
them out when you are planning to use them (you can even leave them in the pods
when you cook with them). They should be
stored in an airtight jar, otherwise they will lose their flavor after a while, even if they are still in their pods. A couple
of fingers-full of seeds crumbled to powder can make a good tea, and you will
definitely get your money’s worth in taste if you keep them fresh.
Medicinally, cardamom is
approved by Commission E for treating colds, bronchitis, sore throat, coughs,
and fevers. Cardamom has virustatic
properties, and the monoterpene essential oils found in it are antibacterial
and antimycotic. Cardamom is also used
for gallbladder and liver complaints because of its cholagogic properties, but
it can actually aggravate certain gallbladder and liver problems as well. I would only recommend it be used by someone
with liver or gallbladder problems under the supervision of a trained herbalist
or other medical specialist familiar with its use in inducing bile flow. It is also used traditionally for digestive
problems.
So if you’re feeling a cold
coming on, or you just want a tasty hot beverage, make yourself a fragrant cup
of cardamom tea on a frosty winter night.
