57-838: Cardamom ( / ˈ k ɑːr d ə m ə m / ), sometimes cardamon or cardamum , is a spice made from the seeds of several plants in the genera Elettaria and Amomum in the family Zingiberaceae . Both genera are native to the Indian subcontinent and Indonesia . They are recognized by their small seed pods: triangular in cross-section and spindle-shaped, with a thin, papery outer shell and small, black seeds; Elettaria pods are light green and smaller, while Amomum pods are larger and dark brown. Species used for cardamom are native throughout tropical and subtropical Asia. The first references to cardamom are found in Sumer , and in Ayurveda . In
114-467: A mihbaj , and cooked together in a skillet, a mehmas , over wood or gas, to produce mixtures with up to 40% cardamom. In Asia, both types of cardamom are widely used in both sweet and savoury dishes, particularly in the south. Both are frequent components in such spice mixes as Indian and Nepali masalas and Thai curry pastes. Green cardamom is often used in traditional Indian sweets and in masala chai (spiced tea). Both are also often used as
171-403: A masticatory , or is smoked. Cardamom has a strong taste, with an aromatic, resinous fragrance. Black cardamom has a more smoky – though not bitter – aroma, with a coolness some consider similar to mint. Green cardamom is one of the most expensive spices by weight, but little is needed to impart flavor. It is best stored in the pod, as exposed or ground seeds quickly lose their flavor. Grinding
228-577: A daily basis for good health at a time of recurrent pandemics . In addition to being desired by those using medieval medicine , the European elite also craved spices in the Middle Ages, believing spices to be from and a connection to "paradise". An example of the European aristocracy's demand for spice comes from the King of Aragon , who invested substantial resources into importing spices to Spain in
285-403: A decline of 6.7 percent in cardamom production for 2012–13, and projected a production decline of 30–40% in 2013–14, compared with the previous year due to unfavorable weather. In India, the state of Kerala is by far the most productive producer, with the districts of Idukki , Palakkad and Wynad being the principal producing areas. Given that a number of bureaucrats have personal interests in
342-498: A full crop may be obtained in the third year. Cardamoms grown above 600 m (2,000 ft) elevation are considered to be of higher quality than those grown below that altitude. Plants may be raised from seed or by division of the rhizome . In about a year, the seedlings reach about 30 cm (1 ft) in length, and are ready for transplantation. The flowering season is April to May, and after swelling in August and September, by
399-628: A garnish in basmati rice and other dishes. Individual seeds are sometimes chewed and used in much the same way as chewing gum. It is used by confectionery giant Wrigley ; its Eclipse Breeze Exotic Mint packaging indicates the product contains "cardamom to neutralize the toughest breath odors". It is also included in aromatic bitters, gin , and herbal teas . In Korea, Tavoy cardamom ( Wurfbainia villosa var. xanthioides ) and red cardamom ( Lanxangia tsao-ko ) are used in tea called jeho-tang . The essential oil content of cardamom seeds depends on storage conditions and may be as high as 8%. The oil
456-459: A good crop, it is still less productive than Guatemala. Other notable producers include Costa Rica , El Salvador , Honduras , Papua New Guinea , Sri Lanka , Tanzania , Thailand , and Vietnam . Much production of cardamom in India is cultivated on private property or in areas the government leases out to farmers. Traditionally, small plots of land within the forests (called eld-kandies ) where
513-489: A ground spice can be much shorter. Ground spices are better stored away from light. Some flavor elements in spices are soluble in water; many are soluble in oil or fat. As a general rule, the flavors from a spice take time to infuse into the food so spices are added early in preparation. This contrasts to herbs which are usually added late in preparation. A study by the Food and Drug Administration of shipments of spices to
570-467: A relative of cardamom which mostly replaced pepper in late medieval north French cooking, long pepper , mace , spikenard , galangal , and cubeb . Voyagers from Spain and Portugal were interested in seeking new routes to trade in spices and other valuable products from Asia. The control of trade routes and the spice-producing regions were the main reasons that Portuguese navigator Vasco da Gama sailed to India in 1499. When da Gama discovered
627-541: A reproductive peculiarity whereby those flowers borne on creeping growth at ground level will set fruit, while those borne on aerial branches will not. It blooms in March and April, the colour, translucency and waxy lustre of the flowers being likened traditionally to those of white jade . The seed of Wurfbainia villosa is used as a spice in Chinese cuisine , in which it can also form an ingredient in certain recipes for
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#1732773018268684-414: A spice is derived in part from compounds (volatile oils) that oxidize or evaporate when exposed to air. Grinding a spice greatly increases its surface area and so increases the rates of oxidation and evaporation. Thus, the flavor is maximized by storing a spice whole and grinding when needed. The shelf life of a whole dry spice is roughly two years; of a ground spice roughly six months. The "flavor life" of
741-510: A symbol of wealth and social class. The most popular explanation for the love of spices in the Middle Ages is that they were used to preserve meat from spoiling, or to cover up the taste of meat that had already gone off. This compelling but false idea constitutes something of an urban legend, a story so instinctively attractive that mere fact seems unable to wipe it out... Anyone who could afford spices could easily find meat fresher than what city dwellers today buy in their local supermarket. It
798-528: A whole pig cost about the same as a pound of the cheapest spice, pepper. There is also no evidence of such use from contemporary cookbooks: "Old cookbooks make it clear that spices weren't used as a preservative. They typically suggest adding spices toward the end of the cooking process, where they could have no preservative effect whatsoever." Indeed, Cristoforo di Messisbugo suggested in the 16th century that pepper may speed up spoilage. Though some spices have antimicrobial properties in vitro, pepper—by far
855-409: Is a plant in the ginger family which is grown as a cardamom-like spice throughout Southeast Asia and South China . Like cardamom , the plant is cultivated for its fruits, dry capsules containing strongly aromatic seeds. W. villosa is an evergreen monocotyledonous plant 1.5 to 3.0 m in height, the branches and leaves of which are similar to those of ginger. It grows in the shade of trees and has
912-445: Is commonly used as an ingredient in fragrance manufacturing. Plant-based sweeteners such as sugar are not considered spices. Spices may be used fresh and whole, after drying, grating, chopping, crushing, or grinding, or by extraction into a tincture . Such processing may happen before a spice is offered for sale, while preparing a dish in a kitchen, or after a dish has been presented for consumption (such as peppercorns ground at
969-425: Is for domestic purposes, and India is itself by far the most important consuming country for cardamoms in the world. India also imports cardamom from Sri Lanka. In 1903–1904, these imports came to 122,076 kg (269,132 lb), valued at Rs. 1,98,710. In contrast, Guatemala's local consumption is negligible, which supports the exportation of most of the cardamom that is produced. In the mid-1800s, Ceylon 's cardamom
1026-591: Is in the public domain : T. C. Owen's "Notes on Cardamom Cultivation" (1883) Spice In the culinary arts , a spice is any seed , fruit , root , bark , or other plant substance in a form primarily used for flavoring or coloring food. Spices are distinguished from herbs , which are the leaves, flowers, or stems of plants used for flavoring or as a garnish . Spices are sometimes used in medicine , religious rituals , cosmetics , or perfume production. They are usually classified into spices, spice seeds, and herbal categories. For example, vanilla
1083-442: Is now ranked the third most expensive spice following saffron and vanilla . Cardamom production began in ancient times, and has been referred to in ancient Sanskrit texts as ela . The Babylonians and Assyrians used the spice early on, and trade in cardamom opened up along land routes and by the interlinked Persian Gulf route controlled from Dilmun as early as the third millennium BCE Early Bronze Age, into western Asia and
1140-505: Is often claimed that spices were used either as food preservatives or to mask the taste of spoiled meat , especially in the European Middle Ages . This is false. In fact, spices are rather ineffective as preservatives as compared to salting , smoking , pickling , or drying , and are ineffective in covering the taste of spoiled meat. Moreover, spices have always been comparatively expensive: in 15th century Oxford,
1197-407: Is typically 45% α-terpineol , 27% myrcene , 8% limonene , 6% menthone , 3% β-phellandrene , 2% 1,8-cineol , 2% sabinene and 2% heptane . Other sources report the following contents: 1,8-cineol (20 to 50%), α-terpenylacetate (30%), sabinene, limonene (2 to 14%), and borneol . In the seeds of round cardamom from Java ( Wurfbainia compacta ), the content of essential oil is lower (2 to 4%), and
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#17327730182681254-493: Is usually more flavorful than its dried form, but fresh spices are more expensive and have a much shorter shelf life. There is not enough clinical evidence to indicate that consuming spices affects human health. India contributes to 75% of global spice production. This is reflected culturally through its cuisine . Historically, the spice trade developed throughout the Indian subcontinent as well as in East Asia and
1311-822: The Banda Islands in Southeast Asia , was introduced to Europe in the 6th century BCE. The Romans had cloves in the 1st century CE, as Pliny the Elder wrote about them. Spices were among the most demanded and expensive products available in Europe in the Middle Ages , the most common being black pepper , cinnamon (and the cheaper alternative cassia ), cumin , nutmeg , ginger, and cloves . Given medieval medicine's main theory of humorism , spices and herbs were indispensable to balance "humors" in food, on
1368-731: The Middle East . Europe's demand for spices was among the economic and cultural factors that encouraged exploration in the early modern period . The word spice originated in Middle English , from the Old French words espece , espis(c)e , and espis(c)e . According to the Middle English Dictionary , the Old French words came from Anglo-French spece ; according to Merriam Webster ,
1425-615: The Travancore plantations was given as 290,000 kg (650,000 lb), or just a little under that of Ceylon. The yield of the Mysore plantations was approximately 91,000 kg (200,000 lb), and the cultivation was mainly in Kadur district . The volume for 1903–04 stated the value of the cardamoms exported to have been Rs. 3,37,000 as compared with Rs. 4,16,000 the previous year. India, which ranks second in world production, recorded
1482-696: The UK , and the former USSR . According to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development , 80 percent of cardamom's total consumption occurs in the Middle East . In the 19th century, Bombay and Madras were among the principal distributing ports of cardamom. India's exports to foreign countries increased during the early 20th century, particularly to the United Kingdom, followed by Arabia, Aden, Germany, Turkey, Japan, Persia and Egypt. However, some 95% of cardamom produced in India
1539-567: The 12th century. He was specifically looking for spices to put in wine and was not alone among European monarchs at the time to have such a desire for spice. Spices were all imported from plantations in Asia and Africa, which made them expensive. From the 8th until the 15th century, the Republic of Venice held a monopoly on spice trade with the Middle East, using this position to dominate
1596-736: The 1980s, principally from China, for both Wurfbainia villosa and Lanxangia tsao-ko , has provided a key source of income for poor farmers living at higher altitudes in localized areas of China, Laos, and Vietnam, people typically isolated from many other markets. Laos exports about 400 tonnes annually through Thailand according to the FAO . Cardamom production's demand and supply patterns of trade are influenced by price movements, nationally and internationally, in 5 to 6-year cycles. Importing leaders mentioned are Saudi Arabia and Kuwait , while other significant importers include Germany , Iran , Japan , Jordan , Pakistan , Qatar , United Arab Emirates ,
1653-746: The 21st century, it is cultivated mainly in India , Indonesia , and Guatemala . The word cardamom is derived from the Latin cardamōmum , as a Latinisation of the Greek καρδάμωμον ( kardámōmon ), a compound of κάρδαμον ( kárdamon , " cress ") and ἄμωμον ( ámōmon ), of unknown origin. The earliest attested form of the word κάρδαμον signifying "cress" is the Mycenaean Greek ka-da-mi-ja , written in Linear B syllabic script, in
1710-599: The Mediterranean world. The ancient Greeks thought highly of cardamom, and the Greek physicians Dioscorides and Hippocrates wrote about its therapeutic properties, identifying it as a digestive aid. Due to demand in ancient Greece and Rome, the cardamom trade developed into a handsome luxury business; cardamom was one of the spices eligible for import tax in Alexandria in 126 CE. In medieval times, Venice became
1767-459: The Middle East, and the east coast of Africa. Arab merchants facilitated the routes through the Middle East and India. This resulted in the Egyptian port city of Alexandria being the main trading center for spices. The most important discovery prior to the European spice trade was the monsoon winds (40 CE). Sailing from Eastern spice cultivators to Western European consumers gradually replaced
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1824-655: The New World came new spices, including allspice , chili peppers , vanilla , and chocolate . This development kept the spice trade, with the Americas as a latecomer with their new seasonings, profitable well into the 19th century. Spices are primarily used as food flavoring or to create variety. They are also used to perfume cosmetics and incense . At various periods, many spices were used in herbal medicine . Finally, since they can be expensive, rare and exotic commodities, their conspicuous consumption has often been
1881-1341: The Old-French words came from Anglo-French espece, and espis . Both publications agree that the Anglo-French words are derived from Latin species . Middle English spice had its first known use as a noun in the 13th century. The spice trade developed throughout the Indian subcontinent and Middle East by 2000 BCE with cinnamon and black pepper , and in East Asia with herbs and pepper. The Egyptians used herbs for cuisine and mummification . Their demand for exotic spices and herbs helped stimulate world trade. Cloves were used in Mesopotamia by 1700 BCE. The earliest written records of spices come from ancient Egyptian, Chinese, and Indian cultures. The Ebers Papyrus from early Egypt dating from 1550 BCE describes some eight hundred different herbal medicinal remedies and numerous medicinal procedures. By 1000 BCE, medical systems based upon herbs could be found in China , Korea , and India . Early uses were associated with magic, medicine, religion, tradition, and preservation. Indonesian merchants traveled around China, India,
1938-764: The Portuguese to take control of the sea routes to India. In 1506, he took the island of Socotra in the mouth of the Red Sea and, in 1507, Ormuz in the Persian Gulf . Since becoming the viceroy of the Indies , he took Goa in India in 1510, and Malacca on the Malay Peninsula in 1511. The Portuguese could now trade directly with Siam , China , and the Maluku Islands . With the discovery of
1995-524: The Scandinavian Yule bread Julekake , the Swedish kardemummabullar sweet bun, and Finnish sweet bread pulla . In the Middle East , green cardamom powder is used as a spice for sweet dishes, and as a traditional flavouring in coffee and tea. Cardamom is used to a wide extent in savoury dishes. In some Middle Eastern countries, coffee and cardamom are often ground in a wooden mortar,
2052-478: The United States during fiscal years 2007–2009 showed about 7% of the shipments were contaminated by Salmonella bacteria, some of it antibiotic-resistant. As most spices are cooked before being served salmonella contamination often has no effect, but some spices, particularly pepper, are often eaten raw and are present at the table for convenient use. Shipments from Mexico and India, a major producer, were
2109-466: The absence of regular re-plantation, and ecological conditions associated with deforestation. In 1873 and 1874, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka ) exported about 4,100 kg (9,000 lb) each year. In 1877, Ceylon exported 5,039 kg (11,108 lb), in 1879, 8,043 kg (17,732 lb), and in the 1881–82 season, 10,490 kg (23,127 lb) In 1903, 1,600 hectares (4,000 acres) of cardamom growing areas were owned by European planters. The produce of
2166-523: The benefit of cardamom producers. In 1979–1980, Guatemala surpassed India in worldwide production. Guatemala cultivates Elettaria cardamomum , which is native to the Malabar Coast of India. Alta Verapaz Department produces 70 percent of Guatemala's cardamom. Cardamom was introduced to Guatemala before World War I by the German coffee planter Oscar Majus Kloeffer. After World War II, production
2223-528: The first half of October usually attain the desired degree of ripening. The crop is accordingly gathered in October and November, and in exceptionally moist weather, the harvest protracts into December. At the time of harvesting, the scapes or shoots bearing the clusters of fruits are broken off close to the stems and placed in baskets lined with fresh leaves. The fruits are spread out on carefully prepared floors, sometimes covered with mats, and are then exposed to
2280-444: The ground is again weeded, and by September to November a light crop is obtained. In the fourth year, weeding again occurs, and if the cardamoms grow less than 180 cm (6 ft) apart a few are transplanted to new positions. The plants bear for three or four years; and historically the life of each plantation was about eight or nine years. In Malabar the seasons run a little later than in Mysore , and – according to some reports –
2337-690: The industry, in India, several organisations have been set up to protect cardamom producers such as the Cardamom Growers Association (est. 1992) and the Kerala Cardamom Growers Association (est. 1974). Research in India's cardamom plantations began in the 1970s while Kizhekethil Chandy held the office of Chairman of the Cardamom Board. The Kerala Land Reforms Act imposed restrictions on the size of certain agricultural holdings per household to
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2394-745: The land-locked spice routes once facilitated by the Middle East Arab caravans. Spices were prominent enough in the ancient world that they are mentioned in the Old Testament . In Genesis , Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers to spice merchants. In Exodus , manna is described as being similar to coriander in appearance. In the Song of Solomon , the male narrator compares his beloved to many saffron, cinnamon, and other spices. The ancient Indian epic Ramayana mentions cloves. Historians believe that nutmeg , which originates from
2451-621: The list of flavorings on the spice tablets found among palace archives in the House of the Sphinxes in Mycenae . The modern genus name Elettaria is derived from the root ēlam attested in Dravidian languages . The two main types of cardamom are: Both forms of cardamom are used as flavorings and cooking spices in both food and drink. E. cardamomum (green cardamom) is used as a spice,
2508-485: The most common spice—is relatively ineffective, and in any case, salt, which is far cheaper, is also far more effective. A mortar and pestle is the classic set of tools for grinding a whole spice. Less labor-intensive tools are more common now: a microplane or fine grater can be used to grind small amounts; a coffee grinder is useful for larger amounts. A frequently used spice such as black pepper may merit storage in its own hand grinder or mill . The flavor of
2565-520: The most frequently contaminated. Food irradiation is said to minimize this risk. The International Organization for Standardization addresses spices and condiments , along with related food additives, as part of the International Classification for Standards 67.220 series. Amomum villosum Wurfbainia villosa , also known by its basionym Amomum villosum , ( Chinese : 砂仁 ; pinyin : shārén )
2622-619: The neighboring Italian maritime republics and city-states. The trade made the region rich. It has been estimated that around 1,000 tons of pepper and 1,000 tons of other common spices were imported into Western Europe each year during the Late Middle Ages . The value of these goods was the equivalent of a yearly supply of grain for 1.5 million people. The most exclusive was saffron , used as much for its vivid yellow-red color as for its flavor. Spices that have now fallen into obscurity in European cuisine include grains of paradise ,
2679-481: The oil contains mainly 1,8-cineol (up to 70%) plus β-pinene (16%); furthermore, α-pinene , α-terpineol and humulene are found. In 2022, world production of cardamom (included with nutmeg and mace for reporting to the United Nations) was 138,888 tonnes, led by India, Indonesia and Guatemala, which together accounted for 85% of the total (table). According to Nair (2011), in the years when India achieves
2736-608: The pepper market in India, he was able to secure peppers for a much cheaper price than the ones demanded by Venice . At around the same time, Christopher Columbus returned from the New World . He described to investors the new spices available there. Another source of competition in the spice trade during the 15th and 16th centuries was the Ragusans from the maritime republic of Dubrovnik in southern Croatia. The military prowess of Afonso de Albuquerque (1453–1515) allowed
2793-589: The pods and seeds together lowers both the quality and the price. For recipes requiring whole cardamom pods, a generally accepted equivalent is 10 pods equals 1 + 1 ⁄ 2 teaspoons (7.4 ml) of ground cardamom. Cardamom is a common ingredient in Indian cooking. It is also often used in baking in the Nordic countries , in particular in Sweden , Norway , and Finland , where it is used in traditional treats such as
2850-652: The principal importer of cardamom into the west, along with pepper, cloves and cinnamon , which was traded with merchants from the Levant with salt and meat products. In China, Amomum was an important part of the economy during the Song Dynasty (960–1279). In 1150, the Arab geographer Muhammad al-Idrisi noted that cardamom was being imported to Aden , in Yemen , from India and China. The Portuguese became involved in
2907-457: The sun. Four or five days of careful drying and bleaching in the sun is usually enough. In rainy weather, drying with artificial heat is necessary, though the fruits suffer greatly in colour; they are consequently sometimes bleached with steam and sulphurous vapour or with ritha nuts. The industry is highly labour-intensive, each hectare requiring considerable maintenance throughout the year. Production constraints include recurring climate vagaries,
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#17327730182682964-405: The table as a condiment ). Some spices such as turmeric are seldom available either fresh or whole and so must be purchased in ground form. Small seeds such as fennel or mustard may be used either whole or in powdered form. A whole dried spice has the longest shelf life, so it can be purchased and stored in larger amounts, making it cheaper on a per-serving basis. A fresh spice, such as ginger ,
3021-480: The trade in the 16th century, and the industry gained wide-scale European interest in the 19th century. [REDACTED] This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain : G. Watt's "The Commercial Products of India: Being an Abridgement of "The Dictionary of the Economic Products of India."" (1908) [REDACTED] This article incorporates text from this source, which
3078-602: The traditional spice mixture known as five-spice powder . From as early as the time of the Tang dynasty , many ancient books, including, notably, the Compendium of Materia Medica , have been unanimous in describing the taste of W. villosa as “acrid, fresh, and slightly bitter”. Due to the demand for seeds and ripe fruits, and to curb slash-and-burn activities in forests by local populations, cultivation of W. villosa and coplantings with rubber trees has been encouraged by
3135-420: The wild or acclimatised plant existed are cleared during February and March. Brushwood is cut and burned, and the roots of powerful weeds are torn up to free the soil. Soon after clearing, cardamom plants spring up. After two years the cardamom plants may have eight-to-ten leaves and reach 30 cm (1 ft) in height. In the third year, they may be 120 cm (4 ft) in height. In the following May or June
3192-402: Was chiefly imported by Canada. After saffron and vanilla , cardamom is currently the third most expensive spice, and is used as a spice and flavouring for food and liqueurs. Cardamom has been used in flavorings and food over centuries. During the Middle Ages, cardamom dominated the trade industry. The Arab states played a significant role in the trade of Indian spices, including cardamom. It
3249-415: Was increased to 13,000 to 14,000 tons annually. The average annual income for a plantation-owning household in 1998 was US$ 3,408. Although the typical harvest requires over 210 days of labor per year, most cardamom farmers are better off than many other agricultural workers, and there are a significant number of those from the upper strata of society involved in the cultivation process. Increased demand since
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