Essential Pantry Black Cardamom Pods

1.5 oz bag - India

There are two main types of cardamom - black and green. Green cardamom pods come from the Elettaria cardamomum plant and are harvested before they mature, while black pods (Amomum subulatum) grow on an herbaceous plant belonging to the Zingiberaceae (ginger) family and are picked much later, and then dried over a fire giving them a smokey flavor.

Because the two pods have extremely different tastes, one cannot be necessarily substitute one type for the other - although sometimes you can use green instead of black in a recipe, it will be lacking that typical smoky, eucalyptus-like flavor. Unlike green cardamom, which is a popular ingredient with it's warm, floral flavor and aroma, the black variety is rarely used in sweet dishes due to more savory flavors.