First, there is a big difference between black and yellow cardamom. \u00a0The yellow cardamom is the fragrant variety; black cardamom is smoky. \u00a0Yellow cardamom is used in many of my spice recipes.<\/p>\n
I buy the whole yellow cardamom pods and husk them to remove the seeds as I need them. \u00a0The pods protect the seeds against air and light, keeping their flavour longer. \u00a0To husk, place the pods in a paper towel pocket and smash with flat end of meat tenderizer tool for easy hulling of seeds. \u00a0A garlic press will also crush the pod, but it is not as easy to grab the pods. \u00a0Once the husk is crushed, it is easy to separate\u00a0the seeds. \u00a0 Paper towel helps the seeds from rolling everywhere.<\/p>\n
As with many seeds and nuts, toasting the seeds before grinding \u00a0boosts the flavour. \u00a0Put cardamom\u00a0in a small, dry\u00a0skillet\u00a0over medium-low heat. \u00a0Shake until the aroma is released, then\u00a0immediately grind for use. \u00a0Don’t leave in the heated skillet to prevent over roasting of the seeds.<\/p>\n