Cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum) is a plant in the Zingiberaceae family native to tropical and subtropical Asia. The sweet warming spice comes in two varieties - black and green - and is used widely in Indian and Middle Eastern cuisine.

Cardamom comes from the Elettaria and Amomum plants, which grow in thick clumps of leafy shoots with dark green, sword-shaped leaves. On those leaves grow small pods, what we commonly know as cardamom. These thin papery shells encasing tiny black seeds are available in two varieties; black and green. In the fourth century BCE, Theophrastus, the Greek father of botany distinguished the two varieties of cardamom. While green cardamom, Elettaria, is more commonplace, the black variety, Amomum, has a smoky flavor well-suited for savory dishes.

A known breath freshener, cardamom is used by the Wrigley gum brand Eclipse "to neutralize the toughest breath odors." Individual seeds are sometimes chewed in the same manner as chewing gum for this very reason. Before the advent of toothpaste, ancient Egyptians chewed on cardamom seeds as a way to keep their teeth clean and breath fresh.

Native to tropical and subtropical Asia, cardamom is now primarily cultivated in Guatemala, Malaysia, and Tanzania. There it is harvested in October, when its whole pods are laid out to dry in the sun or in curing houses. Guatemala is currently the largest producer of cardamom, and in some regions the spice is a more valuable crop than coffee. Green cardamom is one of the most expensive spices by weight, surpassed only by vanilla and saffron. Thankfully, its flavor is potent and very little is needed to imbue a sweet, spicy taste.

The spice is widely used in Indian and Middle Eastern cuisine, added to sips, sweets, and savory dishes alike. One of its applications is in gahwa, a coffee blend often recognized as a symbol of hospitality in Indian households, with some even considering it rude to refuse a cup. In recent years, cardamom has been increasingly used in gin distillation, becoming emblematic of the modern gin movement. Its complex warm flavor becomes subdued when distilled, lending a subtle sweet grassiness.

Found in: AMASS Dry GIn