origins · 1 min read
Green Cardamom: A Buyer’s Guide to Size, Colour and Aroma
Why bold, green pods cost more, what the millimetre grades mean, and how to tell fresh cardamom from tired cardamom in seconds.
The Sage Kitchen ·
Cardamom is one of the most valuable spices in the world by weight, and its price varies enormously with quality. Here is what to look for.
Size
Cardamom is often graded by pod diameter in millimetres. Larger, bolder pods usually contain more seeds and more aromatic oil.
Colour
A uniform, vivid green shows the pods were dried carefully. Pale or yellowed pods may be older or over-dried.
Aroma and seeds
Split a pod: the seeds should be dark, slightly sticky and intensely fragrant. Grey, dry seeds mean much of the flavour has gone.
In this story
Spices mentioned
Export qualityCardamom
Green Cardamom
Plump, bold green pods with a cool, floral perfume. Hand-sorted for colour and size and packed whole so the seeds keep their essential oils until the moment you crack them open.
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