.Amomum subulatum, also known as Black cardamom, hill cardamom,Bengal cardamom,greater cardamom, Indian cardamom, Nepal cardamom,winged cardamom, big cardamon,or brown cardamom, is a perennial herbaceous plant in the family Zingiberaceae. Its seed pods have a strong, camphor-like flavor, with a smoky character derived from the method of drying. In Hindi it is called बड़ी इलाइची (bdei ilaaichi).
The Indian name for black cardamom is badi elaichi or kali elaichi. Roughly one inch in length, the pods are dark brown to black in color and have a tough, dried, wrinkly skin
Black cardamom is dried over an open fire and has a distinct smoky aroma and flavor. The pods are highly aromatic but not as much as green cardamom. In recipes, black cardamom should not be used if a recipe calls for green cardamom. The two pods have extremely different taste profiles. Unlike green cardamom, the black variety of this spice is rarely used in sweet dishes.
Black cardamom has notes of resin and camphor, as well as menthol, slightly minty aroma that provides balance to an otherwise funky flavor. These intense, heady notes put black cardamom in the “warming” spice category, along with black pepper, cloves, and chiles.
Black cardamom is a natural remedy for respiratory problems
Historically, Black Cardamom (Badi Elaichi) has been used to treat various stomach ailments, common infections, and dental problems. In traditional Chinese medicine, in addition to being a treatment for stomach disorders, this spice is used to treat malaria. It is also chewed as a mouth freshener.
Black cardamom is scientifically named Amomum subulatum. It belongs to the Zingiberaceae (ginger) family. Several species of the genus Amomum are distributed all over the mountainous area from the Himalayas to Southern China. The main production regions are Eastern Nepal, India, and Bhutan. More than 50 percent of the world’s harvest is produced in India.
There is an African variety called Aframomum found in Madagascar, Somalia, and Cameroon, and another pungent form in West Africa called grains of paradise, which has a similar taste and appears sporadically in the Western market.
Species
At least two distinct species of black cardamom occur: Amomum subulatum (also known as Nepal cardamom) and Amomum tsao-ko. The pods of A. subulatum, used primarily in the cuisines of India and certain regional cuisines of Pakistan, are the smaller of the two, while the larger pods of A. tsao-ko are used in Chinese cuisine, particularly that of Sichuan, and Vietnamese cuisine.
Medical production
The largest producer of the black cardamom is Nepal, followed by India and Bhutan. In traditional Chinese medicine, black cardamom is used for stomach disorders and malaria.In the traditional medicine of India, decoction of Amomum subulatum rhizomes is used in the therapy of jaundice.
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