CARDAMOM

Origin

Cardamom was an article of Greek trade during the fourth century BC. It is doubtful whether the Greeks and Romans had the true cardamoms i.e., Elettaria. Marcopolo does not mention cardamom in his travel documents but the Portuguese traveller Parbosa in 1514 described its trade with the Malabar Coast. The earliest record of cardamom in India is in an Ayurvedic medical treatise compiled in BC 1000.

Popularly known as "Queen of spices", small cardamom of commerce is an important and popular flavouring material and spice. The useful part is the dried mature fruit. It is usually referred to as capsule. Cardamom is used for flavouring curries, cakes, and bread and for other culinary purposes. It is also used as masticatory and for flavouring coffee and confectionery. An essential oil is obtained by steam distillation of the seeds, which is used for flavouring processed foods and liquors, in perfumery and beverages. The pleasant aroma and the characteristic warm, slightly pungent taste are due to numerous essential oil components present in the seeds.

Back