Green cardamom

इलायची / elaichi

Flavor and role: A spice with black seeds inside green pods, giving a bright, sweet aroma mixing eucalyptus and citrus. Lightly crush the whole pods, or grind just the seeds.
Typical dishes and uses: Biryani, masala chai, Arabic coffee, Nordic cardamom buns, kulfi, garam masala. In this book: chicken biryani.
Substitutes: 3 cardamom pods = ¼ tsp ground cardamom. If you have none, a pinch of cinnamon + a pinch of nutmeg.
Storage: In the pod and airtight, 1-2 years. Ground loses its aroma quickly; use within 3 months.
Main countries: India · GT
Used in this book: Chicken Biryani Æbleskiver (Danish Pancake Balls)Ayam Masak Merah Bunny Chow (Durban Chicken Curry in a Loaf)Chebab Chicken Machboos (Emirati Spiced Chicken and Rice)Gulab Jamun Jareesh Chicken Kabsa Kanelbullar (Swedish Cinnamon Buns)Kenyan Beef Pilau Kheer (Indian Rice Pudding)Kitfo (Leb Leb)Lebkuchen (German Christmas Spice Cookies)Luqaimat Madrouba Malai Kofta (Paneer and Potato Dumplings in Creamy Tomato Gravy)Malawach (Yemenite Flaky Pan-Fried Bread)Mandazi (Kenyan Cardamom Doughnuts)Mandi Massaman Curry Molokhia Rogan Josh Saleeg Sel Roti (Nepali Rice Doughnut Rings)Semla (Swedish Cardamom Cream Bun)Skillingsboller (Norwegian Cinnamon Buns)Speculoos Sri Lankan Chicken Curry (Kukul Mas Curry)Apple-Filled Brown Butter Æbleskiver Cardamom Apple Dutch Baby Tahini Afghans with Pistachio and Sesame (Middle Eastern × NZ)Lahori Bhuna Lamb Aloo Keema Kenduri-Style Ayam Masak Merah, Double-Fried with Coconut Finish Masala Chai Barmbrack with Cardamom Honey Butter (Irish × Indian)Chai-Spiced Bircher with Pear and Pistachio (Swiss × Indian)Thai Iced Tea Boba Durban Lamb Bunny with Fresh-Ground Masala Burmese Chicken Curry with Shallot Oil, Lemongrass and Crispy Shallots Tandoor-Style Murgh Makhani Chai-Spiced Jaggery Butter Tarts (Canadian × Indian)Gajar Halwa Carrot Cake with Cardamom Cream Cheese (British x Indian)Jaggery Banana Chatamari with Cardamom Yoghurt Overnight Saffron Chebab with Whipped Cheese and Date Syrup Hotteok-Style Stuffed Chebab with Brown Sugar and Pistachio (Emirati × Korean)Mini Chebab Pancake Cereal with Date-Cardamom Milk Hyderabadi Chicken Dum Biryani Chicken Biryani Burrito Biryani Chicken Rice Bowl Royal Chicken Machboos with Saffron Rice, Daqoos and Crispy Onions Charcoal-Skewered Chicken Tikka Masala Doro Wat with Homemade Niter Kibbeh and Honey-Wine Finish Restaurant-Style Egg Masala with Cashew Tomato Gravy Saffron Duck Leg Fesenjan Genfo with Homemade Niter Kibbeh Homemade Khoya Gulab Jamun with Pistachio Filling Gulab Jamun Tiramisu (Indian × Italian)Gulab Jamun Rose Milk Cake Shahi Haleem with Bone-In Shank and Ghee Baghar Oven-Slow Lamb Harees with Cumin Ghee Cardamom Harees Pudding Cups with Date Caramel Soaked-Rice Hoppers with Seeni Sambol Masala Chai Hot Cross Buns Lamb Shoulder Jareesh with Garlic Tasha Lamb Kabsa with Toasted Spices and Daqqus Brown-Butter Cardamom Knots (Kanelknutar), Overnight Proofed Puff Pastry Kanelbulle Twists with Cardamom Glaze Ghee-Seared Beef Pilau with Crispy Onions Shahi Saffron Pistachio Kheer Mango Coconut Kheer (Indian × Thai)Saffron Kheer Brûlée Kik Alicha with Homemade Niter Kibbeh Hand-Chopped Tenderloin Kitfo with Homemade Niter Kibbeh Chicken Kottu with Handmade Godamba Roti Nuremberg Elisenlebkuchen with Dark Chocolate Masala Chai Lebkuchen with Jaggery and Pistachio (German × Indian)Turkish Delight and Pistachio Lolly Cake (Turkish × NZ)Saffron-Rose Syrup Luqaimat with Pistachio Tiramisu Luqaimat Luqaimat Brunch Pancakes with Date-Tahini Butter Saffron Madrouba with Bone-in Chicken and Crispy Onions Shahi Malai Kofta in Saffron-Cashew Gravy Spiced Samneh Malawach with Jammy Eggs and Fresh Zhug Swahili Coast Yeasted Coconut Mandazi (Mahamri)Brown Sugar Hotteok-Filled Mandazi (Kenyan × Korean)Cardamom-Coconut Mandazi Waffles with Mango and Honey Yogurt Slow-Roasted Lamb Mandi with Lamb-Juice Basmati Smoky Mandi Chicken Rice Bowl Slow-Braised Beef Shin Massaman with Whole Spices Cardamom-Vanilla Melktert with Sweet Shortcrust Chai Melktert (South African × Indian)Misir Wat with Homemade Niter Kibbeh Double Ta'leya Molokhia with Roast Chicken and Vermicelli Rice Lamb and Leek Mutabbaq with Freshly Toasted Spices and Spicy Tomato Salsa Mango Lassi New York Cheesecake with Cardamom and Pistachio Nalli Nihari with Homemade Spice Blend Date and Cardamom Oliebollen with Honey-Orange Syrup (Dutch × Middle Eastern)Ghee-Crisped Filo Om Ali with Cardamom Milk Seared Paneer Palak with Garlic Tadka Padang-style dry rendang Slow-Braised Lamb Shank Rogan Josh Rogan Josh Keema Loaded Fries Roti Jala with Fresh Rempah Chicken Curry Chai-Spiced Pistachio Rugelach with Cardamom Glaze (Jewish × Indian)Sabich with Haminados Eggs and Zhug Saffron Saleeg with Ghee-Basted Chicken and Crispy Onions Saleeg Chicken Doria (Saudi × Japanese yōshoku)Crispy Saleeg Rice Cakes with Lemon-Garlic Yogurt Tihar Ghee Sel Roti with Aloo Achar Cinnamon-Sugar Sel Roti with Spanish Hot Chocolate Dip Banana-Cardamom Sel Roti Waffles with Honey Yoghurt Tangzhong Semla with Homemade Almond Paste Matcha Black Sesame Semla (Swedish × Japanese)Semla Trifle Cups Tower-Roast Chicken Shawarma with Toum Brown-Butter Cardamom Skillingsboller with Overnight Rise Miso Caramel Skillingsboller (Japanese × Norwegian)Cinnamon Bun Bread Pudding Cups Overnight Speculoos with Fresh-Ground Spices Sri Lankan Black Chicken Curry with Toasted Coconut Saffron-Cardamom Thiakry Shrikhand (Senegalese × Indian)Awaze Tibs with Homemade Niter Kibbeh Cardamom, Rose and Pistachio Victoria Sponge (British × Persian)

Updated 2026-10-10