--- title: "Cardamom: what it means in cooking — Tiny Plates" description: "Cardamom is a fragrant spice sold as green pods, seeds or powder. It flavors Swedish buns, chai and curries. How to grind, measure and swap it." url: "https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/cardamom" --- # Cardamom Cardamom is a fragrant spice sold as green pods, seeds or powder. It flavors Swedish buns, chai and curries. How to grind, measure and swap it. Also called Cardamon, Green cardamom, Kardemumma, Elaichi. Cardamom is the seed pod of a plant in the ginger family. Green cardamom, the common kind, has small pale green pods with sticky black seeds inside. It smells sweet, piney and slightly citrusy. It is one of the main spices in Indian cooking and in Scandinavian baking. ## How to use it * **Whole pods.** Lightly crush them with the flat of a knife and add them to rice, curries, poaching syrups or chai. Fish them out before serving, or warn people, as biting into one is unpleasant. * **Seeds.** Split the pods, tip out the seeds and grind them in a [mortar and pestle](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/mortar-and-pestle) or spice grinder just before using. This gives far more aroma than ready-ground cardamom. * **Toasting.** For savory dishes, [toast](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/toast) the pods or seeds in a dry pan for a minute or two, [until fragrant](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/until-fragrant). Cardamom is strong. Start with less than you think, especially in sweet dishes, and taste. ## Substitutes There is no true substitute. For baking, a mix of cinnamon and a little nutmeg gives warmth but not the same perfume. For savory food, [garam masala](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/garam-masala) already contains cardamom and can stand in. Black cardamom is a different spice. It has large, dark, wrinkled pods dried over fire and tastes smoky and medicinal. Do not use it in place of green cardamom in baking. ## How to store it Keep whole pods in an airtight jar away from light and heat. They keep their scent for a year or more. Ground cardamom fades within a few months, so buy it in small amounts. ## In recipes Swedish recipes use _kardemumma_ in cardamom buns (_kardemummabullar_), cinnamon buns, semlor and many cakes for [fika](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/fika). They often call for _stött kardemumma_, which means crushed seeds rather than fine powder. Crush the seeds in a mortar until they are coarse, or use ground cardamom and reduce the amount by about a quarter. Indian recipes use _elaichi_ in biryani, chai, kheer and spice blends. ## Recipes that use it 12 recipes from the sites we collect. * [![](https://www.onceuponachef.com/images/2016/08/Plum-Cake-2.jpg)Late Summer Plum Cakewww.onceuponachef.com · 90 min](https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/late-summer-plum-cake.html) * [![](https://minimalistbaker.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Curry-Powder-SQUARE.jpg)DIY Curry Powderminimalistbaker.com · 5 min](https://minimalistbaker.com/diy-curry-powder/) * [![](https://minimalistbaker.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Shawarma-Spice-Blend-SQUARE.jpg)DIY Shawarma Spice Blendminimalistbaker.com · 5 min](https://minimalistbaker.com/diy-shawarma-spice-blend/) * [![](https://minimalistbaker.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Pumpkin-Pie-Spice-SQUARE.jpg)DIY Pumpkin Pie Spiceminimalistbaker.com · 5 min](https://minimalistbaker.com/diy-pumpkin-pie-spice/) * [![](https://minimalistbaker.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/toasted-walnut-honey-protein-shake1-680x1024-google.jpeg)Honey and Walnut Spiced Protein Shakeminimalistbaker.com · 5 min](https://minimalistbaker.com/honey-and-walnut-spiced-protein-shake/) * [![](https://minimalistbaker.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Chai-Spiced-Oatmeal-Raisin-Cookie-Bars-google.jpeg)Chai-Spiced Oatmeal Raisin Barsminimalistbaker.com · 40 min](https://minimalistbaker.com/chai-spiced-oatmeal-raisin-bars/) * [![](https://pinchofyum.com/tachyon/Veggie-Korma-Square.jpg?fit=225%2C225)Cozy Veggie Kormapinchofyum.com · 50 min](https://pinchofyum.com/cozy-veggie-korma) * [![](https://minimalistbaker.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Chai-Ice-Cream-SQUARE.jpg)Vegan Chai Ice Creamminimalistbaker.com · 60 min](https://minimalistbaker.com/vegan-chai-ice-cream/) * [![](https://minimalistbaker.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Easy-Vegan-Falafel-SQUARE.jpg)Easy Vegan Falafel (Freezer-Friendly!)minimalistbaker.com · 130 min](https://minimalistbaker.com/easy-vegan-falafel/) * [![](https://minimalistbaker.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Thanksgiving-Wraps-SQUARE.jpg)Vegan Thanksgiving Wrapsminimalistbaker.com · 30 min](https://minimalistbaker.com/vegan-thanksgiving-wraps/) * [![](https://minimalistbaker.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/CHickpea-SHawarma-SALAD-SQUARE.jpg)Chickpea Shawarma Saladminimalistbaker.com · 30 min](https://minimalistbaker.com/chickpea-shawarma-salad/) * [![](https://minimalistbaker.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Golden-Milk-iCe-Cream-SQUARE.jpg)Golden Milk Ice Cream (Vegan)minimalistbaker.com · 485 min](https://minimalistbaker.com/golden-milk-ice-cream/) ## Related terms * [Garam masalaGaram masala is a warm Indian spice blend of cumin, coriander, cardamom, cinnamon and cloves. It is usually added near the end of cooking.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/garam-masala) * [Mortar and pestleA mortar and pestle is a heavy bowl and club for crushing spices, garlic and herbs into pastes and sauces. Here is how to use one and which type to choose.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/mortar-and-pestle) * [FikaFika is the Swedish break for coffee and something sweet, such as a cinnamon bun, shared with others. See what is served and how to do it at home.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/fika) * [ToastTo toast is to brown food with dry heat until it turns golden and smells nutty. Bread, nuts, seeds, spices and coconut all gain flavor from toasting.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/toast) * [Until fragrantUntil fragrant means cook garlic, spices or nuts just until you can clearly smell them, often 30 to 60 seconds. Any longer and they turn bitter.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/until-fragrant) [More in pantry ingredients](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/category/pantry-ingredients)[Every term from A to Z](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary)