Cardamom, Admired As The ‘Queen Of Spices’, Cardamom Is Among The Costliest Spices. In India Cardamom Is Grown In Kerala, Tamil Nadu And Karnataka. It Is The Dried Fruit Of A Herbaceous Perennial Plant. Warm Humid Climate, Loamy Soil Rich In Organic Matter, Distributed Rainfall And Special Cultivation And Processing Methods All Combine To Make Indian Cardamom Truly Unique-In Aroma, Flavour, Size And Colour. It Has Well Established Culinary Values, And It Is Used In A Wide Range Of Sweets And Confectionery. Cardamom Is Of Two Types- Large Cardamom And Small Cardamom.

It Is One Of The Most Exotic And Highly Priced Spices Across The Globe After Vanilla And Saffron. Indian Cardamom Has A History As Old As Human Civilization. Cardamom Is A Native Plant Of Parts Of India, Sri Lanka And Parts Of Southeast Asia, Where It Occurs In The Wild. It Has Been Introduced To Other Parts Of Asia And Is Widely Grown For Its Aromatic Seeds. Cardamom Is Called As A Versatile Spice Because Of Its Usage In Both Sweet And Salty Foods.

India Is One Of The Main Producers Of The Highly Aromatic Fruit, Large Cardamom Whose Main Variety Is The ‘Malabar Cardamom’. Three Grades Of Small Cardamom Are In Great Demand In The International Markets- Allepy Green Extra Bold (AGEB), Allepy Green Bold (AGB) And Allepy Green Superior (AGS). Cardamom Is Also Used In The Field Of Medicines, Spices And Perfumes And Also As A Flavourant As It Gives A Fiery Pungency To All Alcohols.

Green Cardamom Has A Strong, Unique Taste, With An Intensely Aromatic, Resinous Fragrance. Green Cardamom Is One Of The Most Expensive Spices, But Little Is Needed To Impart Flavor. It Is Best Stored In The Pod, As Exposed Or Ground Seeds Quickly Lose Their Flavor. India Has Both Small And Large Cardamom Under Its Production. Small Cardamom Is Of High Demand Throughout The Year. Cardamoms Are Recognized By Their Small Seed Pods: Light Green, Triangular In Cross-Section And Spindle-Shaped, With A Thin, Papery Outer Shell And Small, Black Seeds Inside The Shell.

Natural Black / Dark Brown / Big Cardamom Is Also Cultivated In Parts Of Uttarakhand And In Some Other North-Eastern States Of India. India Is An Important Exporter Of Big Cardamom Mainly To Far East And Middle East Where Sikkim’s Big Cardamom Is The Preferred Choice Due To Its Distinctive Aroma And Color.