Cardamom

So-called “green” cardamom is the type known in the West, with a pod sometimes bleached white during the drying process. Scandinavian cuisine makes extensive use of it, notably for Danish pastry. Milder, black cardamom, with a much larger pod, is added to Indian meat and vegetable dishes and pickles. Although it is strong, cardamom marries well with cooked fruits and adds fragrance to Turkish coffee. The best cardamom is sold in the pod, since once opened, the seeds deteriorate rapidly.