Hailed as the queen of spices, cardamom pods are seeds that are grown from the trees of the genera Elettaria and Amomum in the family of Zingiberaceae. Both, which are native to Sri Lanka, offers a unique flavour due to its specific geography. The green cardamoms which are cultivated in Sri Lanka is known as Ceylon Cardamom and is a staple spice in many spice cabinets the world over.
The whole cardamom pod is spindle shaped meaning its wide in the middle and tapers at both of its ends. When using cardamom as a spice, you have to use it very sparingly due to its complex flavour profile. Being a highly fragrant spice, flavours that you can taste include an amalgamation of minty, spicy, citrusy and herbaceous. Cardamom is mainly used as a flavouring agent in the food sector for both sweet and savoury dishes. Cardamom is also a must have in the garam masala spice mix which is an important spice for many Asian dishes.
Health benefits may include reducing blood pressure, protection from chronic diseases, improving oral health, managing blood sugar and reducing the occurrence of ulcers and digestive issues.
Lanka Green - Lanka Green Cardamom which is also known as LG Cardamom are dried Cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum) seeds in their whole form. Green in colour, these Sri Lankan Cardamoms are harvested and washed to remove dust and dirt while they are well drained and dried in hot air barns which are known as green curing. After drying, they are stored away from sunlight.
Lanka Light Green 1 - Slightly light green in colour, the LLG 1 Sri Lankan cardamom pods are whole cardamom seeds which are dried the same way but under different temperatures.
Lanka Light Green 2 - The LLG 2 is light green in colour while they too come in whole cardamom pods. They are washed and expertly dried under a controlled temperature to retain its light green colour and natural goodness. The light green hue always indicates a superior grade of Sri Lankan Cardamom.
Lanka Bleached - This grade is when the Sri Lankan Green Cardamom is bleached to a creamy sort of white hue in the fumes of burning sulfur. The colour is usually a pale buff.
Lanka Non-Specified - Sri Lankan whole cardamom pods which come in an assorted array of green hues.
