White Cardamom
I’m not going to sit here and pretend like I don’t know what white cardamom is, not after introducing to you to black cardamom a week ago.
I’m not going to sit here and pretend like I don’t know what white cardamom is, not after introducing to you to black cardamom a week ago.
white cardamom
White cardamom can refer to fake, traitor’s white cardamom (👎) or real, glorious white cardamom (👍). Traitor’s WC refers to green cardamom (the stuff in most chai) bleached white, apparently for use in cakes that require green cardamom and need it to look white.
Glorious white cardamom is a yummy, mild chickpea-looking spice. Also incredibly minty in the seed.
Make sure you get the right one!
I couldn’t find a picture on Unsplash so I caved and took my own. Don’t say I never did anythin’ for ya.
What’s it taste like?
A delicate affair; a dancing paper prince.
Okay, listen. If you’re one of those people that can’t attribute ideas to a flavor, you’re in luck. I stood in one spot 15 minutes and mediated on the flavor with cardamom in my mouth just for you.
It’s this1:
17% fresh paper (like a Yankee Candle interpretation, not like recycled paper pulp)
13% menthol/mint
7% oud
8% apple fruit; juicy; stonefruit
4% honeyed [not honey, but the “honeyed” flavor, like the difference between a nut and its honeyed roasted version]
3% light smoke
20% stale (specifically, the loss of flavor compared to fresh bread—it tastes like that lack)
23% vick’s vaporub
7% squid/octopus seafoodish [biting into the seeds]
As you chew the seeds, a miasma of disgusting vick’s flavors surge into your mouth and it tastes like you’re chewing on a gel ice cube of vaporub.
Luckily, the syrup is primarily papery, smoky, and sweet. The first syrup recipe is a lighter syrup, I would relegate it to mixing and glazing pastries. The second syrup is a stronger flavor if you’re into featuring the white cardamom itself.
So, with that:
For the syrup
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
7–10 smacked white cardamom pods (not crushed, just lightly opened)
In a small saucepan, bring the sugar and water to a boil, mixing frequently, then add your white cardamom and reduce to a light simmer for 15-25 minutes. You should taste this every few minutes starting at 15 minutes, and it will slowly develop more flavors as it simmers, around every 5 minutes.
If you simmer 30 minutes or more it’ll create a minty profile; 35+ minutes and it’s vaporub.
The first time you do this, taste it frequently and decide what kind of flavor profile you like. The later flavors are more powerful, so if you like the early flavors you’ll need more pods (and less time) and if you like the later flavors you’ll need less pods (and more time).
For the syrup (2)
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
15–25 smacked white cardamom pods
half with the seeds removed
half lightly smacked with seeds
In a small saucepan, bring sugar and water to a boil and then a simmer as you add the white cardamom pods. This is going to be a much more concentrated white cardamom syrup.
For the drink
There’s not a drink recipe here, more just a bunch of ideas and things I’ve done with it (I got to the testing lab late so I had to make do in adumbrate).
It’s great in yogurt.
I find that the lighter syrup should be put in as an “additive”, where it accentuates other flavors and isn’t a standalone thing (like vanilla).
I put the lighter syrup in a boba milk tea, and it added a savoriness.
It is also likely great in an americano.
You can also use the lighter syrup as a glaze for pastries, such as any that have an egg white glaze. Put the syrup on as it bakes.
The stronger syrup can stand alone in a latte.
You can grab white cardamom, again, at Dual’s naturals.