Scandinavians have had an affinity for cardamom ever since the Vikings first sampled the aromatic spice during their raids on Constantinople, subsequently establishing enduring supply lines for the very pricey pods (only saffron and vanilla are more expensive). Cardamom comes in two different varieties - black and green. Scandinavians prefer the green variety, harvested from Elettaria cardamom, a perennial related to ginger. You can also find cardamom pods that have been sun-bleached white - this allows one to create desserts and sauces without dark specks from the seeds, but has the disadvantage of also weakening the flavor.
Cardamom is more popular than cinnamon In Scandinavia, which consumes almost half the world's supply (India, of course, lays claim to the second half). Bakers use both the seeds and cardamom extract when preparing baked goods like cardamom bread and Icelandic pönnukaka; it's often used to flavor aquavit, pickled herring, and even meatballs.
Since cardamom has the shelf life of a fruit fly, you should never buy pre-ground cardamom unless you simply cannot source the pods or seeds, are absolutely desperate, and don't mind throwing money away. I find shelling the pods to be extremely tedious, so my favorite (and the cheapest) way of buying cardamom is to purchase the decorticated seeds from the bulk jars in the spice section of the grocery store (I've had good luck finding these in regular stores; ethnic Indian markets and organic food stores almost always carry them). I then store them in the freezer, using my coffee grinder to grind them as needed (you can also use a spice mill or an old-fashioned mortar and pestle). There are 12 to 20 seeds in each cardamom pod; 16 green cardamom pods yield roughly 1 teaspoon of ground cardamom.Please follow me as I explore the latest trends and developments in the exciting New Nordic Cooking Movement on Twitter ~ Friend me and let's share favorite Scandinavian recipes and cooking tips on Facebook!
