Green cardamom vs black cardamom: not the same spice

Buying Guide

They share a name, but green and black cardamom come from different plants and taste completely different. Using one in place of the other can change a dish entirely.

Green cardamom

Small, smooth green pods from the plant grown in the Western Ghats — the kind we grow. The flavour is sweet, floral and cooling. It is the cardamom of chai, sweets, biryani and Scandinavian baking.

Black cardamom

Large, rough, dark brown pods from a related plant grown mainly in the eastern Himalayas. They are usually dried over fire, which gives them a smoky, earthy, camphor-like flavour. They suit slow-cooked meat dishes and dals, but not desserts.

Which should you buy?

If a recipe just says "cardamom", it almost always means green. Keep black cardamom for recipes that ask for it by name.