Northeast Black Cardamom – India’s Smokey Aromatic Powerhouse – 50g

A completely different spice

• Green elaichi is sweet and floral and belongs in kheer
• Black cardamom is smoky, resinous and camphorous, and belongs in slow-cooked food
• If you’ve wondered why a dhaba’s dal tastes of something you can’t place, it’s often this

How to use it

• Whole and bruised, at the start of cooking — it needs time and fat
• Dal makhani and rajma — one pod per pot
• Biryani and pulao, in the whole-spice base
• Garam masala, where it’s the backbone
• Remove before serving, or warn whoever finds it
• One pod where a recipe is vague. It’s easy to overdo.