While black pepper is known as the "king of spices", cardamom holds the position as "queen of spices" because of the important role it has played in the spice trade, but also because it is the second most expensive spice by weight, after saffron. Cardamom is expensive because it is grown in remote places.
Mill & Mortar's cardamom is grown under the cozy canopy of the Sri Lankan rainforest situated above the village of Pilimathalawa. Cardamom requires full shade, the coolness of the highlands and plenty of moisture. Cardamom pickers clash with forest animals such as wild monkeys and wild boars, who also love cardamom seeds, and battle leeches, mosquitoes and other insects that target people. The effort is worth it, and the little aromatic gems are highly valued.
Size does not necessarily determine whether a cardamom is considered high quality, but rather its green color, which is an indicator of whether the pods have been picked at the right time and whether it has been carefully dried using small kilns in the villages. Cardamom pods contain small seeds that are ideally dark gray or black. White beans are an indication that the cardamom has aged too much.
Cardamom – both pods and seeds – can easily be ground to a powder in a mortar or ground in a coffee grinder for use in Indian curries and desserts.
