White Cardamom
What to do with it!
Here’s a new one on me, white cardamom. I’ve used green cardamom for years and it is one of my favourite spices, the black cardamom less so. But white cardamom? I bought some from one of my French speciality suppliers in London this week out of sheer curiosity…
What I wanted to know was if it was more like true cardamom (the green pods) than the equally pungent but less attractive black variety. Well it is more like the former, very much more like the former because according to Madhur Jaffrey’s excellent ‘Ultimate Curry Bible’ it is nothing more than bleached green cardamom! Doh!!
It seems that the pods are blanched for ease of use in sweet preperations when the natural colour of the sauce or ice cream wants to be maintained. Cardamom is an excellent addition to a custard/ice cream or with a hot apple tart, stick a bit of ginger in there whilst you’re at it.
So there you go, I’ve been stiched, I’ll be having a word with that French bloke…..
Unlucky Miles.
Bleached green cardamom or not, we’re getting very close to hot summertime evenings when a long, chilled cardamom lassi (with perhaps a drop of booze) will be the only solution.
Dave.
May 2, 2008 @ 2:35 pm
Greedydave,
Sounds good to me! and when it’s not so hot how about a mug of hot, cardamom flavoured chai?
Think you’re lassi sounds more appealing, must be the booze
Miles
May 2, 2008 @ 3:45 pm
Miles,
I feel a bit like that with my purple sprouting broccoli. It always ends up green!
Elsie
May 2, 2008 @ 6:57 pm
Elsie,
It happens to the best of us!
Miles
May 2, 2008 @ 9:47 pm
Miles
You should know better than to trust the French
May 3, 2008 @ 7:25 am
Rod,
I know, but then I do employ two so I’d better be careful
Miles
May 3, 2008 @ 4:09 pm