Elaichi (cardamom). GIS / Dollar Photo Club
Elaichi essential oil has also been found to have good antibacterial properties, and it has been used in some chewing gums to neutralize breath odours.
The most common variety of elaichi is a light green fruit pod that contains black seeds. It is native to India, Pakistan and Guatemala. There are also brown and dark brown varieties found in Sri Lanka that are often used in making gharam masala.
One tablespoon of ground elaichi contains only 18 Calories but up to 4 per cent of the daily recommended value for iron and up to 6 per cent of the daily value for fibre. Elaichi also has some magnesium, calcium and vitamin C.
Three things to do with elaichi
- Boil the whole pods with your tea, coffee or just hot water to create an aromatic hot drink with or without additional masala for a delicious treat.
- Sprinkle ground seeds into porridge, kheer, cakes or any other dessert dish to add aroma. You may be able to reduce the amount of sugar in your recipe by a teaspoon or two, without losing flavour.
- Chew the whole pod. Next time you are looking for a sweet or candy to freshen your breath, consider chewing on a whole elaichi instead.
Top tip
For recipes requiring whole cardamom pods, a generally accepted equivalent is 10 pods equals 1½ teaspoons of ground cardamom. As ground seeds lose their flavour quickly, it is best to buy whole pods and grind the seeds, just before they need to be added to your favourite dish.
Try these recipes
References
- National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference: Cardamom, United States Department of Agriculture
- Naveed R, at al. Antimicrobial activity of the bioactive components of essential oils from Pakistani spices against Salmonella and other multi-drug resistant bacteria. BMC Complement Alternative Med. 2013 Oct 14; 13:265. doi: 10.1186/1472-6882-13-265
