Cardamom

Elettaria cardamomumAlso called cardamon, cardamum and ground cadamom

Cardamom is a spice whose seeds have a resinous, piney aroma. Cooks use it in baking, as a garnish, and for seasoning; it pairs with coffee.

Plant-based
Gluten-free
No listed allergens

About the plain ingredient, not packaged products; general information, not medical advice. Details

Category: Herbs & spices
Part used: Seed
Family: Zingiberaceae
Cooked most in: Asia, Africa, Europe
Top country: Indonesia
Dishes: 9 in the catalogue
Energy: 311 kcal per 100 g

Photo: Thamizhpparithi Maari · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

In the kitchen

How to use cardamom

Typical ways to cook or use it

Bake
Garnish
Season

Preparing it

Grinding the pods with the seeds reduces quality.

Goes well with

coffee

Flavour

Taste and texture

Aroma

Resinous piney

Nutrition

What 100 g of cardamom holds

Per 100 g. Averages from USDA; real values vary by variety, season and growing conditions.

Protein 13%Fat 8%Carbohydrate 80%of the macronutrients by weight

Nutrition per 100 g of cardamom
Energy	311 kcal · 1,303 kJ
Protein	11 g
Fat	6.7 g
of which saturated	0.68 g
Carbohydrate	68 g
Fibre	28 g
Sodium	18 mg
Cholesterol	0 mg

Nutrition per 100 g of cardamom: minerals and vitamins
Potassium	1,119 mg
Calcium	383 mg
Iron	14 mg
Magnesium	229 mg
Zinc	7.5 mg
Vitamin C	21 mg

Source: USDA FoodData Central (food 170919), public domain. Minerals and vitamins are listed only where USDA measured a non-zero amount.

Around the world

Where cardamom is cooked

9 dishes in the catalogue use cardamom. Here is where they come from.

Dishes by continent

Countries whose dishes use it most

Counts are catalogued dishes from each country that list cardamom among their ingredients.

Origins

Native to: Southern Asia, Indonesia

1150 · Yemen, India and China
Cardamom was imported to Aden from India and China.
126 · Egypt
Cardamom was among the spices subject to import tax in Alexandria.
The 1500s · Portugal
Portuguese traders became involved in the cardamom trade.

On the table

Dishes made with cardamom

9 dishes in the catalogue use it.

Matang satay
Indonesia
Babbouche
Morocco
Sholezard
Iran
Rörost
Sweden
Kuah beulangong
Indonesia
Kanji rumbi
Indonesia
Bir pletok
Indonesia
Beef gulai
Indonesia
Gulai Balak

Dish lists come from Wikidata; a dish counts when its recorded ingredients include cardamom.

Good to know

Diet and allergens: cardamom in detail

These notes describe the plain ingredient. Packaged and prepared products vary, so read the label; for allergies and medical diets ask a doctor or dietitian.

Allergens: None of the 15 listed allergens foundChecked and not found: soy, eggs, fish, milk, lupin, wheat, celery, sesame, mustard, peanuts, molluscs, sulphites, tree nuts, crustaceans, gluten cereals.
Animal origin: No animal ingredients foundChecked and not found: egg, fish, meat, dairy, honey, insect, gelatin, poultry, bone char, shellfish, other animal, animal fining, animal rennet.
Gluten: None
Alcohol: None
Caffeine: None
Pork: None