Cardamom

Considered as the queen of spices, Cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum) belongs to the ginger (Zingiberaceae) family. Word cardamom, comes from the Latinization of the Greek word kardamomom.

It is a tropical plant native to Sri Lanka, India and Myanmar. For many centuries it was used in Indian, Middle Eastern and Arabic cooking but now west too has grown fond of its aromatic taste. People used it as a breath freshener from ancient times because it is known to fight gum disease and cavities due to its anti-bacterial effect.

It grows from rhizome as a shrub with glossy foliage. Blooms which resemble orchids, give way to small, aromatic, pale yellowish-green fruit pods. Each oblong, thin-walled, smooth-skinned pod is about 3/4 of an inch long and contains 15-20 aromatic black to reddish-brown seeds. The pods and the seeds inside make up the spice, which has many health benefits. Cardamom is used in many dishes and drinks. It impart a flavor to many hot and sweet dishes, from masala murgh, a savory chicken to many sweet desserts like cardamom ice cream and watalappan. It is a must in signature dishes like Sri Lankan black pork curry or drinks like masala chai.
Cardamom has antibacterial anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.