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Cardamom incense stick
Cardamom incense stick
Cardamom incense stick

Cardamom is one of the world’s very ancient spices/incense material used in making incense stick.
It is native to the East originating in the forests of the western ghats in southern India, where it grows
wild. Today it also grows in Sri Lanka, Guatemala, Indo China and Tanzania. The ancient Egyptians
chewed cardamom seeds as a tooth cleaner; the Greeks and Romans used it as a perfume. Vikings
came upon cardamom about one thousand years ago, in Constantinople, and introduced it into
Scandinavia, where it remains popular to this day.

Cardamom is an expensive spice, second only to saffron. It is often adulterated and there are many
inferior substitutes from cardamom-related plants, such as Siam cardamom, Nepal cardamom,
winged Java cardamom, and bastard cardamom. However, it is only Elettaria cardamomum which
is the true cardamom. Indian cardamom is known in two main varieties: Malabar cardamom and
Mysore cardamom. The Mysore variety contains higher levels of cineol and limonene and hence is
more aromatic
Cardamom, sometimes called Grains of Paradise, is a pungent, aromatic herb first used as
aromatic or incense stick around the eighth century in India.
The spice known as cardamom is the fruit of several plants of the genera Elettaria belonging to the
family Zingiberaceae, whose principal member is Elletaria Cardamomum. The plant it self is a
perennial herb with a thick, fleshy rootstock which sends up flowering stems from 6 to 12 feet high.
Cardamom Incense Description
Cardamom comes from the seeds of a ginger-like plant. The small, brown-black sticky seeds are
contained in a pod in three double rows with about six seeds in each row. The pods are between 5-
20 mm (1/4”-3/4”) long, the larger variety known as ‘black’, being brown and the smaller being green.
White-bleached pods are also available. The pods are roughly triangular in cross section and oval or
oblate. Their dried surface is rough and furrowed, the large ‘blacks’ having deep wrinkles. The
texture of the pod is that of tough paper. Pods are available whole or split and the seeds are sold
loose or ground. It is best to buy the whole pods as ground cardamom quickly loses flavour.
Bouquet: Pungent, warm and aromatic.
Flavour: Warm and eucalyptine with camphorous and lemony undertones. Black cardamom is
blunter, the eucalyptus and camphor suggestions very pronounced.
Uses of Cardamom other than Incense stick
The pods can be used whole or split when cooked in Indian substantial meals — such as pulses. Otherwise, the seeds can be bruised and
fried before adding main ingredients to the pan, or pounded with other spices as required. Keep the pods whole until use. The pod itself is
neutral in flavour and not generally used, imparting an unpleasant bitter flavour when left in dishes.
Cardamom is used mainly in the Near and Far East. Its commonest Western manifestation is in Dutch ‘windmill’ biscuits and Scandinavian-
style cakes and pastries, and in akvavit. It features in curries, is essential in pilaus (rice dishes) and gives character to pulse dishes.
Cardamom is often included in Indian sweet dishes and drinks. At least partially because of its high price, it is seen as a ‘festive’ spice.
Other uses are; in pickles, especially pickled herring; in punches and mulled wines; occasionally with meat, poultry and shellfish. It flavours
custards, and some Russian liqueurs. Cardamom is also chewed habitually (like nuts) where freely available, as in the East Indies, and in
the Indian masticory, betel pan. It is a flavouring for Arab and Turkish coffee which is served with an elaborate ritual.
Other names of Cardamom
Cardamon, Lesser Cardamom
French: cardamome
German: Kardamom
Italian: cardamomo, cardamone
Spanish: cardamomo
Burmese: phalazee
Chinese: ts’ao-k’ou
Indian: chhoti elachi, e(e)lachie, ela(i)chi, illaichi
Indonesian: kapulaga
Malay: buah pelaga
Sinhalese: enasal
Tamil: elam
Thai: grawahn, kravan
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