Spinach and Yoghurt Soup
Tandoori Chicken
Lamb Koftas

Cardamoms are members of the ginger family, the Zingiberaceae and both the entire seed pods and the seeds themselves can be used as a spice. In fact there are three related species which give us three seprate spices:

Black Cardamom

Black cardamom (also known as: Kravan, Java cardamom, Bengal cardamom, Siamese cardamom, white or red cardamom) represents the seed pod of plants in the genus Amomum. This plant is distributed mainly in Asia and Australia. The seed pods are black, hence the name and they have an intense smoky and slightly earthy flavour. This is a very important spice in Indian cuisine where it is generally used in savoury dishes and pickles. Like green cardamom either the entire seed pod or just the seeds themselves can be used. In comparison with green cardamon the black cardamom pods are about five times the size.

Grains of Paradise

Grains of Paradise (also known as Guinea pepper, Melegueta pepper, alligator pepper and Guinea grains) is a West African spice obtained from the plant Aframomum melegueta which gives pungent, peppery flavor. The plant is an herbaceous perennial and native to swampy habitats along the West African coast. Its trumpet-shaped, purple flowers develop into 5 to 7 cm long pods containing numerous small, reddish-brown seeds. Grains of paradise are commonly employed in the cooking styles of West Africa and also North Africa, where they have been traditionally imported via caravan routes through the Sahara desert. In Europe, they enjoyed a short-lived popularity in the 14th century, when Portuguese sailors reached West Africa in their first steps to establish a sea route to India. Unlike the other cardamoms this spice is most readily attained in seed rather than whole pod form. They have a fiery, rather peppery taste and a great ‘cardamom-like’ aroma (as one might expect from the familial relationship). For seasoning use as you would black pepper. It is also one of the crucial ingredients in the classic Tunisian five-spice blend.

Green Cardamom

Green Cardamom (also known as 'True Cardamom') is the seed pod of the plant Elettaria cardamomum. This is a native of southeastern Asia from India south to Sri Lanka and east to Malaysia and western Indonesia, where it grows in tropical rainforests. It is a pungent aromatic herbaceous perennial plant growing to 2–4 m in height. The leaves are alternate in two ranks, linear-lanceolate, 40-60 cm long, with a long pointed tip. The flowers are white to lilac or pale violet, produced in a loose spike 30-60 cm long. The fruit is a three-sided yellow-green pod 1-2 cm long, containing several black seeds contained in three linked ranks. The green seed pods of the plant are dried and the seeds inside the pod are used in Indian and other Asian cuisines either whole or in a ground form. Ground cardamom is an ingredient in many Indian curries, and is a primary contributor to the flavour of masala chai. In the Middle East and Iran, cardamom is used to flavour coffee and tea. Cardamom can also be used to flavour milk in the generation of custards and cakes. The seed pods are usually used for infusion and subsequently removed. The seeds can be isolated by crushing the pods and separating the seeds. In terms of flavour green cardamom is warm with slightly bitter/sweet aroma. It is used in many North Indian dishes and is suitable for both sweet and savory dishes