All About Black Cardamom | Know Your Spice Badi Elaichi or Kali Elaichi

All About Black Cardamom | Know Your Spice Badi Elaichi or Kali Elaichi (Amomum subulatum) Black cardamom is a spice is used for culinary purposes in the Indian cuisine.

Badi elaichi is a major ingredient in garam masala a blend of dried spices. Use of garam masala is common in Indian, Pakistani, Nepalese, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan and Afghan cuisines.

Black cardamom comes from a herbaceous perennial shrub of the ginger family. The pods (fruits) of big cardamom are large (2-3 cm long), hairy, and brown-black, and contain about 30-50 seeds.

The seeds are sticky, but once removed from the pod they soon dry out, and it is these, in either whole or ground form, that are most commonly used.

Black cardamom oil is a precious ingredient in food preparations, perfumery, health foods, medicines and beverages. It has properties like carminative, stomachic, diuretic, cardiac stimulant and antiemetic.

This red spice information card below gives you a snapshot of the big cardamom spice you’ll read about. Do share this spice card with your friends & spread the knowledge.

Badi Elaichi is known to be used in India from ancient times. It is known as Ela in Sanskrit and references to this can be found in ancient Sanskrit texts.

Taitreya Samhita, which belongs to the later Vedic period (ca. 3000 BC), contains mention of cardamom among the ingredients to be poured in the sacrificial fire on the occasion of a marriage ceremony (Mahindru, 1982).

The ancient Indian Ayurvedic texts, Charaka Samhita and Susrutha Samhita, written in the post-epic period (1400—600 BC) also mention cardamom on many occasions.

Although it is not clear whether the ela mentioned in those texts is green cardamom or big (Nepal) cardamom, it is the latter that occurs in the northeastern region of India.

It was mentioned that the ancient king of Babylon, Merodach-Baladan II (721—702 BC) grew cardamom among other herbs in his garden.

However, in the ancient Egyptian texts there was no mention of the use of cardamom.

However, there are references of cardamom in ancient Greece and Rome as they occupied a significant place in social ceremonies and functions.

Dioscorides (40—90 AD), the Greek physician and the author of the famous Materia Medica, mentioned cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, pepper and turmeric and many herbs as useful medicines.

Big cardamom was one of the most popular oriental spices in Roman cuisine. Because of its importance, cardamom was listed as an item liable to duty at Alexandria in AD 176.

The Indian names of black card­amom are formed from the name of green card­amom​ with an epi­thet meaning black (Hindi, Punjabi and Gujarati kali elaichi) or more often big (Hindi and Maithili bari ilaichi)

However, being from the same Zingiber­aceae​ or ginger family they are not the same.

People unfamiliar with this spice has often been heard describing it as an inferior substitute for the small green cardamom, which is used for sweet/savory dishes.

A strong astringent aroma and a smoky flavour, derived from the traditional methods of drying. Black cardamom spice has notes of resin and camphor, as well as menthol, a slightly minty aroma.

The smoky fra­grance of the pure black card­amom is not dis­cernible in the finished dish. It cannot domi­nate a dish, but en­hances and in­tensi­fies the taste of other in­gredi­ents.

The roots of the plant are boiled and eaten like potatoes when the flowers are used for garnishing salads and other recipes.

Pods are often steam-cooked and added to pulses. It is used as a flavoring agent in pickles and custard.

In Scandinavian bakery products and Danish pastries large cardamom is an essential ingredient.

While this is used in preparation of Biryani in India and Pakistan. The pods are generally added to spicy beef and chicken curries in Sri Lanka.

Small amount of the spice when added to coffee or tea produces a stimulating flavor.

Rice puddings, flans and porridges taste better with a pinch of black cardamom. The seeds are good to be used as a mouth freshener besides in room freshner.

Black cardamom seeds are recognized as aromatic, pungent, stimulant, stomachic, alexipharmic and astringent in traditional medicines.

It has been well established to treat persistent cough, biliousness, heart ailments, abdominal pains, liver disorders, vomiting, malarial disorders and drunkenness due to alcohol consumption.

It is also helpful in improving skin complexion, for relieving body pain, urinary disorders, lowering high body temperature, relief from food poisoning and bronchial infections.

Properly stored, Black Cardamom will generally stay at best quality for about 3 to 4 years.

To maximize the shelf life of black cardamom or badi elaichi purchased in bulk, and to better retain flavour and potency, store it in airtight containers.

Store black cardamom or badi elaichi in a cool, dark place. Once you open a pack of black cardamom, store it in the fridge.

This will help you maximize the shelf life of your black cardamom or badi elaichi.

• Black cardamom is largely used in savory Indian dishes ranging from curries, stews, daal (lentil dishes), and pulao.
• In China, the pods are used for jin-jin braised meat dishes, particularly in Sichuan cuisine
• In Vietnam, they are used as an ingredient in pho noodle soup.
• Use it for your homemade garam masala.
• It goes quite well with hot cinnamon, giving an earthy, grounded flavour to desserts.
• It’s also very good when used together with carrots in savoury dishes.
• Small amount of the spice when added to coffee or tea produces a stimulating flavor.
• Rice puddings, flans and porridges taste better with a pinch of black cardamom.

You can use green cardamom as a substitute for black but it will lack the smoky, hot flavor. But, don’t use black cardamom as a replacement for green cardamom.

Black Cardamom are well available in well-stocked grocery stores, supermarkets, and natural food stores. You’ll find them usually down the condiment or spices aisle.

They are also easily found in specialty and gourmet food stores as well as online. Black Cardamom are typically packaged in 100 gram jars or packets.

Health Benefits of Black Cardamom or Benefits of Kali Elaichi

Different parts of the badi elaichi plant are recommended for treating different conditions:

Here are some notable Health Benefits of Black Cardamom;

• Health Benefits of Badi Elaichi as an Antioxidant – Antioxidant activity: Phytoconstituents in the seeds of black cardamom showed antioxidant activity by inhibiting lipid peroxidation.
• Health Benefits of Black cardamom against Digestive Disorders – Consuming black cardamom helps in various digestive disorders and also helps in fighting stomach ulcers. It also keeps the acids in the stomach under proper control.
• Health Benefits of Kali Elaichi in Cardiovascular Health – Regular intake of black cardamom helps in maintaining a healthy heart. It also reduces the probability of blood clot and also helps to keep a check on our blood pressure.
• Health Benefits of Kali Elaichi for Healthy Hair – Being rich in antiseptic and antibacterial properties, it helps in preventing scalp infection and provides proper nourishment to the hair due to its anti-oxidative properties.
• Health Benefits of Badi Elaichi against Diabetes – Black cardamom seeds were evaluated in fructose fed metabolic syndrome in rats. The extracts revealed significant increase of serum insulin levels and reduction 111 hyperglycemia.
• Health Benefits of Black Cardamom for Liver – Extracts of seeds possess hepatoprotective activity against ethanol induced liver damage in rats as evidenced by functional, biochemical and histological results.

Kali Elaichi seeds are recognized as aromatic, pungent, stimulant, stomachic, alexipharmic and astringent in traditional medicines.

It has been well established to treat persistent cough, biliousness, heart ailments, abdominal pains, liver disorders, vomiting, malarial disorders and drunkenness due to alcohol consumption.