Cardamom

Cardamom (Elaichi) -Elettaria Cardamomum is the seed of a tropical fruit in the ginger family. Fruits and seeds leave pleasant aroma with sweet, pungent taste behind when chewed. Cardamom has a sweet, lemony, eucalyptus flavor. It is world's second most expensive spice. It is available as a powder, dried pods, or loose seeds. Greencardamoms are the most common, but there are also black and cream varieties. It is one of India's favorite spices, used in curries, savory and sweet dishes, ice cream and custards. lt is often combined with almonds and saffron. It can be used to flavor tea and also is great with black coffee. lt is used in Ayurvedic medicine to remove fat and as a cure for urinary and skin complaints.Egyptians chewed cardamoms to whiten their teeth and simuitaneously sweeten their breath. The seeds are aromatic, sweet cooling, carminative (cures flatulence), digestive, stimulant and tonic. Cardamom finds usage in indigestion, anorexia, burning sensation, debility, asthma.