Mamta's Kitchen - A Family Cookbook





Cardamoms

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On 07/07/2012 08:07pm, Martin wrote:

I find recipes can be a bit vague about Cardamoms. Unless specified otherwise I presume recipes refer to Green Cardamoms. The recipes aren't very clear about using a crushed pod or crushing just the seeds. It's a pity because Black Cardamoms have such a distinctive flavour and compliment some of the fuller flavoured meals better than the Green Cardamom.

I would appreciate a bit of feedback on this one.

Regards to all,

Martin

On 07/07/2012 09:07pm, Kavey wrote:

Mum will know much better but I'd say that black cardamoms are a bit more robust, and more commonly used in savoury dishes and the green ones have a more delicate flavour and are used in desserts and lighter savoury dishes.

I assume I just use the whole pod (crushed only if advised). I don't peel and just use seeds unless specified by the recipe.

x

On 08/07/2012 01:07am, Mamta wrote:

Martin, you raise a very valid point. As Kavey says quite correctly, large, brown cardamoms are generally more suitable for, and are used in, savoury dishes; curries, pilafs, biryanies etc. Green cardamoms are gentler and best suited to desserts and delicate dishes like simple pilafs. I sometimes use both in a dish, for example in a biryani. I may use green ones in savoury dishes, but can't think of a sweet dish where I would use brown cardamoms by choice. I think I specify generally, but if I haven't in a recipe, please feel free to let me know, I will make sure it is clarified.

On 08/07/2012 04:07pm, AskCy wrote:

I think I've mentioned before that my brother (older than me)had a mate whose dad was Indian, so as my brother was nearing leaving school he was being taught the family curries by his mate. My brother showing them to me etc... at the time the only cardamon we had seen was the green ones. So until discovering this site a few years back (I'm not going to count, it might be scary) I'd not heard of brown cardamons. So any dish I would have made would have been green ones. These days however I usually specify which type and generally how to deal with them (ie grind whole, open and use seeds, open and grind seeds etc)

Steve

On 08/07/2012 04:07pm, phil wrote:

Green cardamom: I used the grind the whole green pod, and then I bought a packet of the seeds, without the pod, in Austin, Texas. Those worked well, when ground with other spices.

We use whole green cardamoms in some Indian recipes, and they make a difference, but you mustn't eat them: ver bitter.

The owners of a Kashmiri restaurant in Edinburgh once told me that a customer complained about a 'beetle' in her curry, so he fished out the black cardamom and bashed it with a spoon, annpuncing that he'd killed it!

Phil

On 08/07/2012 05:07pm, Sid wrote:

When I use whole cardamoms I crack the shells and drop them into hot oil at the start of cooking - along with any other whole garam spices. I don't tend to fish whole spices out unless I am making it for someone else. I wouldn't consider them to be bitter though.

On 08/07/2012 05:07pm, Sid wrote:

I have always assumed that when a recipe calls for whole spices they go in at the start and stay whole. If the cardamoms are to be ground the recipe should state otherwise.

On 08/07/2012 07:07pm, Martin wrote:

Hi to allnew listers and including AskCy, phil, Kavey, Mumta & Sid

So suprise, suprise the use of Cardamoms turns out to be subjective. Just like, do I prefer fresh or dried, Naga or Jalepeno.

Anyway here's my rather vague rule of thumb:

Cardamom pods may be used whole (lightly crushed), whole (husks & seeds ground to a powder) or use seeds only (whole or powdered).

Punjabi dishes - suggest black cardamoms might be considered, great with beef but in balance with other spices.Since these dishes are often highly spiced I'd use my black cardamoms ground finely along with the other spices.

Rice dishes: usually use green cardamoms, whole pod, lightly crushed

Pasanda & Korma recipes - if cardamom is called for use slightly crushed green cardamoms

On 08/07/2012 08:07pm, Winton wrote:

Intrigued as ever by the interesting topics coming up on these threads I had never thought about green and black cardamoms coming from different plants (doh!) Black - Amomum genus; green - Elettaaria.

When reading recipes not written as meticolously as Mamta's I think generally I crush green cardamoms but for black just throw them in and fork out before serving - I don't want other people's dental bills!

Winton

On 08/07/2012 09:07pm, Suresh wrote:

Punjabi beef dishes?? do tell.

On 09/07/2012 07:07am, Mamta wrote:

Suresh, many Punjabi and other Hindus do eat beef in UK :-) and it is used in dishes traditionally made with mutton/lamb/chicken.

On 09/07/2012 08:07pm, Martin wrote:

My 'authority' and reference on Punjabi Beef Dishes is my local corner store. They know a lot more than I do about their traditional cooking, and when we chat about Indian recipes there is a voice (never actually seen her though!) from the back room which is either attributed to Mum or Grandma. She apparently is regarded as the oracle! My friends, the shopkeepers call out my question and this disembodied voice replies!

Anyway, whatever, enjoy!

Martin

On 09/07/2012 10:07pm, Sid wrote:

When I visit the local International food store I see a lot of people quickly disappearing into the back. I can't decide if this is the affect I have on people, or whether it has something to do with the fact that the store has been raided a number of times and they have found illegal immigrants working there. I always assumed that Punjabi food was mostly vegetarian and that some people occasionally ate goat. Interesting.

On 14/07/2012 04:07pm, phil wrote:

I recently discovered an Indian restaurant in Manchester. The core of the menu is said to be Punjabi, but is not at all vegetarian. Can't recall whether there's beef in there. The 'Punjabi' part contains a lovely lamb dish.

What struck me most were the pickles and chutneys: in addition to the run-of-the-mill stuff, they had things I'd never seen before, including a lovely plum chutney. Could that be Punjabi in origin? Forgive my ignorance!

Phil

On 14/07/2012 08:07pm, Mamta wrote:

We north Indians do make a lot of pickles, using most vegetables and many, many fruits. It was one way of having out of season vegetables and fruit in the days before electricity/fridge/freezers. Another way was drying vegetables, especially in places like Rajasthan, which is a desert land and nothing much grew there in summer heat. Now vast parts of it are of course irrigated.

Plums would be too expensive in most of India to make chutney with, including in Punjab. Plum chutney (in your local restaurant) is probably based on Mango chutney recipe from northern India. I have been making one for years from my surplus Victoria plums; Plum Chutney.

On 14/07/2012 08:07pm, Mamta wrote:

We north Indians do make a lot of pickles, using most vegetables and many, many fruits. It was one way of having out of season vegetables and fruit in the days before electricity/fridge/freezers. Another way was drying vegetables, especially in places like Rajasthan, which is a desert land and nothing much grew there in summer heat. Now vast parts of it are of course irrigated.

Plums would be too expensive in most of India to make chutney with, including in Punjab. Plum chutney (in your local restaurant) is probably based on Mango chutney recipe from northern India. I have been making one for years from my surplus Victoria plums; Plum Chutney. There is even a Mince meat pickle recipe here on this website, a Nepalese recipe.

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