Red Cardamom (Amomum globosum / Amomum tsaok) Pods

Also called Chinese black cardamom or cǎoguǒ (草果) or Tsaoko Fruit.

Red Cardamom pods are a different species of Cardamom, grown in China, near Tibet and Burma. They are much larger in size than Indian Black cardamom and has distinct strong smell, subtle flavor. Also has the fragrance of camphor and have less smoky notes than Indian black cardamom.

USES:

Popular in Chinese, Vietnamese and Szechuan Cooking. Brings smoky flavor to hearty stews, rich soups, braised meats, stir fries, seasonings and spice blends.

Add a pod to plain rice cooking in a steamer or in soups, to infuse enjoyably bitter, smoky notes through the dish.

When used with other spices and seasonings, the pods are usually de-seeded (about 30 seeds/ pod) and ground.

HEALTH BENEFIT:

Red Cardamom known to have anti-inflammatory and possible antibacterial properties.