Cardamom

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.