Food Writer Monica Bhide Dishes on Cardamom

Engineer-turned food writer displaying her collection of cookbooks.

Because I'm something of a closet-foodie, my Internet sojourns often take me to food-related sites: recipes, cooking techniques, reviews, etc.  As I began to dig deeper and deeper, there was a name that kept popping up in front of my knowledge-hungry eyes: Monica Bhide.  After reading a few of her articles (she writes for magazine bohemoths such as Cooking Light, Saveur, Bon Appetit, to name a few) I was wooed equally by her recipes and prose.  Monica tells stories and they are warming to the soul.  Based now in Washington DC, Monica also is a travel and parenting writer.  But today's blog focuses on her spice knowledge, which is extensive.  I reached out to Monica because in a few weeks, I have a Spice 101 class coming up at All Things Tea:  Cardamom - Sweet or Savory?  I wanted to get an expert's outlook on this Queen of Spices.  Who better than Monica, hailing from India, to speak of cardamom; a spice that surely conjures memories of home.   And here I find myself, fortunate to have the Queen of Cardamom, Monica Bhide, sharing her sweet, cardamom thoughts:

1.  When I read an article you'd written back in 2010, you spoke of
cardamom reminding you of home (India).  Can you elaborate on that a bit?

It is one of the most prominent flavors that I remember from my childhood. It
flavored everything from sweet desserts, to tea to savory lamb curries. The
eucalyptus like smell, the sweetness of the pods, the unforgettable taste has stayed
with me all these years. 

2.  I truly ADORE cardamom; I think it ranks as one of my top 2 faves (the other

 being vanilla).  That said, when someone asks me to desribe its taste, I stumble a bit. 

To me, it has so many levels and nuances.  How would YOU describe cardamom's 

taste to someone who has never tried it before?

It really does. Black cardamom is smoky and sweet. Green cardamom has a eucalyptus
like smell, a touch of musk and a touch of citrus. 

3.  What is the difference between black cardamom and green cardamom?
They are both strong spices and very bold in their flavors. Black cardamom should be
removed from the dish just before serving (like bay leaves). All the parts of the
green cardamom are edible. I often carry a few pods in my pocket.. they are great
mouth fresheners!! 

4.  I sell whole green cardamom pods at my shop.  They are vibrantly green and

 plump...and the heady scent is to die for.  I get a lot of requests for pre-ground 

cardamom (mostly for convenience, I suppose).  What are you thoughts on this - 

is there a place for ground cardamom?

I have to say yes. A lot of people find it very convenient to have some handy to
garnish their oatmeal or add to tea. I would just sell it in small packets so
that it can be used up quickly. Ground cardamom loses its flavor and aroma after a
while (like all ground spices) 


5.  Monica, if you had to pick your most FAVOURITE application for cardamom, 

what would it be?

Just as is. :-). Of course, I love adding it to rice pudding. It is a match made in
heaven! 

To learn more about Monica Bhide, I highly recommend you visit her website: A Life of Spice Find out about her long list of accolades, up-to-date information on her cookbooks, recipes (drool-worthy, I might add) and much more.  Food Network's Padma Lakshmi called Monica's latest cookbook (Modern Spice: Inspired Indian Recipes for the Contemporary Kitchen) one of her personal "BEST.BOOKS.EVER."  I'm running out to get it!  Always on the pursuit of spice knowledge, I am!   Thanks for following along today - go out and get yourself some cardamom and play in the kitchen...you won't be sorry.  A very big thank you to Monica Bhide for both her time and knowledge; I'm so grateful.  

Monica Bhide's Cardamom-Spiced Rice Pudding