Cardamom Powder (Elaichi Powder)| How to make cardamom powder at home?

Tutorial to make cardamom powder at home easily with step-by-step photos and instructions.

No peeling and pounding. Quick and easy tutorial on how to grind cardamom into powder at home.

Have you ever as a child helped your mother peel and pound cardamoms in a mortar and pestle? I bet you have. Or now definitely you must be taking the help of your kids to do the same! 😁

Making cardamom seed powder, manually, in a mortar and pestle is a time-consuming process. Store-bought cardamom powder is very expensive and there are chances of it being adulterated too.

Making homemade elaichi powder, in bulk, is not only economical but also assures you of good quality powder. Having cardamom powder in bulk in the pantry is a real saviour and comes in handy when you are busy.

I always prepare a big batch of green cardamom powder ahead of the festive season. This saves me a lot of time.

Let’s learn how to make cardamom powder/green elaichi powder at home in under 15 mins which will save you 15 mins every time you need it. 😅

What is Cardamom?

Cardamom, also called as cardamon or cardamum, is a spice obtained from the seeds of the cardamom plant which belongs to the family Zingiberaceae (ginger plant family).

It is known as Velchi in Marathi, Elaichi in Hindi, Yelakkai in Tamil, Elakulu in Telugu, Elaci in Gujarati, Elathari in Malayalam and Elakki in Kannada.

Cardamom spice has a strong, sweet, earthy, pungent flavour and aroma, with hints of mint and lemon.

Cardamom is one of the integral spices of Indian cuisine. It is referred to as the “Queen of Spices“. After saffron and vanilla, the green cardamom or elaichi is the most expensive spice in the world.

It is used as a whole and in powder form in many recipes. Cardamom flavour is distinct and different from any other flavouring agent. Thus, it is indispensable in most Indian sweets and desserts.

Usually, when we make cardamom powder we only use the cardamom seeds. The skin is either discarded or added to our tea powder to make cardamom tea. The skin or shell of the pod is in fact more aromatic and has an intense flavour.

Making cardamom powder with the skin not only leads to zero wastage but also gives a strong and aromatic powder. Consequently, a little powder suffices for any dish.

Cardamom powder is made by lightly roasting the cardamom pods and grinding them into a powder once cooled.

An interesting fact

10 pods of cardamom = 1^1/2 tsp of cardamom powder

Types of Cardamom

There are 3 types of cardamom classified based on the colour of their shell or husk:-

1. Green Cardamom
2. Black Cardamom
3. White Cardamom

Green Cardamoms – Also known as true cardamoms. Used in sweet and savoury dishes. Also, one of the most expensive spices by weight. It is referred to as ‘Choti elaichi‘.

Black Cardamoms – These are bigger in size as compared to green cardamoms. Has a smoky aroma and is mostly used in savoury dishes. It is referred to as ‘Badi elaichi‘.

White Cardamoms – These are green cardamoms bleached to get white colour.

What is the difference between green and white cardamoms?

Green cardamoms or true cardamoms are bleached to yield white cardamoms. Either they are bleached using different bleaching agents or they are naturally bleached in sunlight. This is done to increase their shelf life and prevent any damage caused due to pests.

However, bleaching causes the green cardamoms to lose out on some of their flavour and aroma since the oils in the seeds of cardamom are volatile. Hence, preferably use green cardamoms as they are more flavourful and natural.

Cardamom Health Benefits

Although cardamom primarily adds flavour and aroma, it has numerous health benefits. Cardamom seeds, extracts and oils have been used in traditional medicine.

It is one of the key ingredients in Ayurveda and is used for medicinal purposes. Of all the three types of cardamom, green cardamom is used for culinary as well as medicinal purposes.

1. Digestion – Cardamom is known to aid in digestion. Hence, it is added to many recipes.
2. Breath Freshener – A natural breath freshener, that helps in promoting good oral health. Chew into a cardamom post a meal and keep all oral health issues at bay. Chewing cardamom seeds is known to cure halitosis (bad breath) and balance the pH level of the mouth, thus, preventing cavities and gum problems.
3. Aromatherapy – Feeling stressed out? Use cardamom essential oils to relax and calm you.
4. Combats Inflammation – Rich in anti-oxidants, cardamom protects cells from damage and prevents inflammation in the body.
5. Motion Sickness – Cardamom is known to relieve nausea caused due to motion sickness.

Cardamom Powder Uses

Uses of Elaichi – The queen of spices

Cardamom pods or their powder has many culinary uses. It is used in most Indian sweets like kheers, laddoos, etc. It is also used to prepare cardamom tea and masala milk. There are many Indian recipes using cardamom as a key flavouring agent.

Tips to prepare cardamom powder

1. Always preferably use fresh, good quality green cardamoms as they have a more intense flavour and aroma.
2. Roasting is the secret to getting a fine powder. If not roasted well, the peels or husk will not grind in the mixie. However, ensure you do not burn or over-roast the pods. Over-roasting, on the contrary, will cause the seeds to lose their volatile oils. Hence, in consequence, it will lead to the loss of its aroma.
3. The mixie jar used for grinding should be dry.
4. Some people use sugar while grinding the powder. However, since the cardamom pods are roasted, you need not add sugar while grinding. Adding sugar also reduces the shelf-life of cardamom powder.
5. Always cool down the powder and then store it.
6. Store the powdered green cardamom in a glass or steel, airtight container in the refrigerator. It can be stored for up to 6 months in the refrigerator or 1 month at room temperature.
7. Always use a dry spoon to scoop the cardamom (elaichi) powder.

How to make cardamom powder? (Step-by-step)

1. Use good quality, fresh cardamoms to make elaichi powder. In a pan, lightly roast cardamom on low-medium heat for about 5 mins.

2. Once roasted, switch off the gas and allow the cardamom to cool down. Next, add the cooled cardamom to a mixie jar.

3. Grind the cardamom. However, in between, open the jar and scrape the sides. Place a plate beneath the jar before opening it, since the dry powder will spill over. Pulse again further.

4. Grind the cardamom, further, into powder. If you have a small mixie jar, grind in batches.

5. Allow the powder to cool and then transfer it into an air-tight glass bottle. Store in the refrigerator for up to 6 months. Always use a dry spoon while using it.

6. Use cardamom powder to flavour kheers, sweets, tea or milk.

Have you tried this step-by-step easy tutorial? Do let me know in the comments section. Also, comment if you would love to see any other tutorial.

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