Cardamom question

[Shelly]

After printing a recipe for cardamom bread posted on this board, I finally found a gourmet cooking/kitchen shop that had the whole pods. (I had a hard time finding ground cardamom.) I also bought a mortar and pestle to grind them with, because I didn't really want to spend the money for another mill. I have one I use for my coffee, and the lady at the store said you really shouldn't use the same one; she said it's best to have one for coffee and one for spices/herbs. So here's my question: in recipes that call for ground cardamom, how do I know the amount is correct if I'm grinding it myself? In other words, I can't imagine that I will be able to grind it very fine with a mortar and pestle, so do I need to reduce the amount in recipes that call for ground cardamom? Or should I forget even trying that idea and order ground cardamom from a mail-order source, and just save the pods for recipes that call for the whole pod? I haven't tried to grind any yet, so I will be interested in any advice...........Thanks! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[Vanessa]

Shelly try your local heath store. Mine carries ground cardamon. Also Dean & Delucca carries it. I don't think your mortal and pestle will give you a good ground cardamon result. Have you tried using a coffee grinder?

[lorilei]

Vanessa is right. You might want to buy a small, cheap, coffee grinder for your cardamom -- it will take a pretty long time to grind it yourself with a mortar/pestle.

You certainly can buy ground cardamom if you like. However, I find the whole seeds, freshly ground, to give a more dramatic flavor.

[Mamasue]

Shelly,

I agree with lorilei. The cardamom that is already ground is not the same flavor, in my opinion. The flavor is very mild and does not have that strong flavor and aroma as the seeds extracted from the pods themselves. The ground cardamom also looses its aroma after a while whereas the pods (if keep in an air tight container) will hold their potency for a long time. If you smell and taste the two in comparison they will be totaly different. The texture that you will be looking for if you grind yourself should be a little finer than ground pepper but not a powder consistency. I have a electric herb grinder that I use and also have a separate grinder for the coffee beans. If you love the flavor of cardamom and feel that you will bake with it often then I would invest in a grinder. Try grinding some in your motar and pestle and see if that works first. It may take a little more elbow grease and more time....it all boils down to your preference. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif Sorry that I rambled so much, but I wouldn't use anything but fresh ground cardamom. I also wouldn't use anything but fresh ground nutmeg...no ground in the jar for me! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif

[Shirley Panek]

Okay, this is a stupid question ... I'm assuming you pop the seeds out of the pod before grinding, right?

Thanks.

Shirley

[lorilei]

Yes, definitely remove the seeds from the pods... those pods don't taste so good. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/frown.gif

[lorilei]

If you buy whole cardamom, you can also mix it with whole peppercorns and use it at the dinner table. Cardamom lends another whole level to the taste of pepper, and this is a good way of using up excess if you don't think you'll use them otherwise.

Cardamom is excellent in spice cakes and other baked goods (I add it liberally). You can also grind cardamom with your coffee to make a delicious flavored variety.

As Connie mentioned, you definitely want to look for a spice store from which to buy your spices. The quality (and price) is so much better than a grocery store!

[Mamasue]

A lady that I work with who is from India buys cardamom (and other items) from an Indian store and cardamom is dirt cheap. She picked up a bag of pods for me...$5.99 for 7 ounces...now that is CHEAP. If you know of someone of this ethnic background ask if they can get some for you or if you know of a store that caters to Indian food then check it out.

LauraB and Connie...yes, cardamom is an expensive spice and thats why I won't waste my money buying the ground which for reasons above. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif

[Ohioan]

You might try Penzey's for ground cardamom. Their 1.2 oz. jar is $3.09, and it's a very good quality. They also have whole pods and seeds: white, green, and black. I've been pretty well pleased with their ground cardamom. You can order online at www.penzeys.com (http://www.penzeys.com) or get a catalog to pore over at your leisure.

Phoebe

[Grace]

Check out Penzey's spices on the web too (I think it's www.penzeys.com? (http://www.penzeys.com?) but I'm not sure...). Anyhow, we have a Penzey's store in our area, and they have very good, high quality spices (better than grocery store spices, that's for sure), and at prices much more reasonable than the grocery store. And you can buy in relatively small quantities, too. Check it out! They have both white and dark cardomom (one is for Northern European cooking like Swedish stuff (white) and the other for indian? (dark) - I'm not sure which is which), and they sell it both pre-ground as well as whole pods. Good luck. The fragrant indian chicken is worth making. Smells wonderful, and is definitely NOT spicy...

Grace

[Grace]

Boy, Ohioan....great minds think alike, eh?!!

[Ohioan]

Oops, Grace, it looks as though we both posted the Penzey's message at the same time! Two great minds with but a single thought.... http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif

Cheers, Phoebe

[Beth]

Another vote for Penzy's, although I think Gail and a couple of others have also liked (the)spicehouse.com. You can also try cerrain import stores. In the west, Cost Plus sells spices in pouches very reasonably priced, as well as inexpensive glass jars for storing. A health food store with a good selection of spices is a great find, especially for things you just need to try in a new recipe. I haven't had one near me since I left California, but I hear rumor that Whole Foods is opening a new store almost as close as my regular grocery store. Yeah!

[Laura B]

I had the Fragrant Chicken in Creamy Almond Sauce on my list for this week, but when I got to the checkout at my grocery store I changed my mind. A bottle of ground cardamom (McCormick's glass bottle) was 12 bucks!! So, I had the cashier find the stuff she had already rung up for that dish (cinnamon sticks and turmeric) and take them off my bill. So, my question is, if I do go ahead and get the cardamom, what else can I use it for? I don't make Indian food. And I am not into spicy food. Is this a spice for me? Also, is there a satisfactory substitute? Would the dish taste OK if I left out the cardamom and just used the cinnamon and turmeric??

[Connie]

Laura,
I also cannot believe how expensive spices are at the grocery store. One suggestion for finding ones that are more reasonable would be to go to a local specialty store that sells spices in bulk; you can get just a tablespoon or two. Other people have mentioned that their health food stores also have bulk spices. I have a wonderful (not low-fat, though) recipe for a cardamom coffee cake from one of the Moosewood cookbooks. I could share that if you'd like. I'll keep my eyes open for more recipes that use it.

[Shelly]

Thanks to everyone for suggestions/opinions. I recently moved and haven't yet found a health food store close to our house. I did find ground cardamom at Albertson's, but I refuse to pay $11.00 for a jar that probably won't get all used up before it loses it's potency. I may just try grinding a little bit with my mortar & pestle and make the bread and see how it turns out. I am definitely going to visit the Penzey site, though!