Cardamom

The cardamom pods are harvested just before they are ripe and they are allowed to dry in the sun or more often than not nowadays, by using drying machines.
When purchased from the supermarket, cardamom pods are usually green in colour, however they can also be found in a bleached white form. Avoid any pods that are a black colour - the greener the pod, the better.
USES
Cardamom can be used in sweet or savoury dishes depending on your taste.
Ground cardamom seeds can also be used to flavour other types of foods such as soups, pâtés, stews, purées and rice dishes or if you prefer to try cardamom in a sweet dish, try adding some seeds to your homemade rice pudding, ice cream, custard or sprinkle them over a fresh fruit salad.
Cardamom has been used medicinally for thousands of years
It is renowned for its ability to treat digestive and stomach disorders but is also used to treat other complaints, such as those listed below:
Cardamom can help relieve indigestion and intestinal gas.
In India it is used for chest disorders such as asthma and bronchitis.
It also has diuretic properties.
Cardamom can relieve bad breath and can help clear up teeth and gum disorders.