Black cardamom
The large, wrinkled, smoky pod of the eastern Himalaya. Badi elaichi is dried over a fire, and that smoke is what gives Punjabi chai and dal makhani their depth.
- Settles Kapha
- Settles Vata
- Can raise Pitta
How Ayurveda reads black cardamom
- Rasa · taste
- Pungent, bitter (kaṭu, tikta)
- Guṇa · nature
- Light, dry (laghu, rūkṣa)
- Vīrya · potency
- Heating (uṣṇa)
- Vipāka · after digestion
- Pungent (kaṭu)
- Part used
- Fruit (seed pod)
Reviewed by the Vapika team.
In the tradition
Black cardamom grows in the shade of the forests of Sikkim, Darjeeling and eastern Nepal. Sikkim is still the world's largest grower. The pods are dried over wood fires in the hills, which turns them dark and smoky.
The texts know it as sthūlailā, the "large ela", beside green cardamom, sūkṣmailā, the "small".
How Ayurveda reads it
Badi elaichi is pungent and bitter, light and dry, and heating: stronger than green cardamom in every way. It is described as settling Kapha and Vata.
In the Indian kitchen
In garam masala, in pulao and biryani, in rajma, chole and dal makhani, and in the Punjabi chai masala, where its smoke balances the sweetness of saunf and green cardamom.
How we use it
We use whole black cardamom in our Amritsari Chai Masala and Desi Tea – Garm Jal. One pod's worth of smoke is enough for a pot.
Black cardamom in our blends
From the texts: Bhāvaprakāśa Nighaṇṭu, Karpūrādi varga (sthūlailā).
For learning, not diagnosis. If you are pregnant, nursing or on medication, please speak to your doctor first.