In the Central American country of Guatemala they have recently surpassed the country of Nepal in cardamom exporting. Cardamom has a strong, unique taste, and a strong aroma. Elettaria pods or seeds are light green in color.
Elettaria or green cardamom is one of the more expensive spices by its weight. Both cardamoms are used as flavorings in food dishes, beverages, cooking spices and traditional medicines. Elettaria, or green cardamom is the most common of the two and is used as a spice for sweets and in tea in India and in southern Asia. In middle eastern countries, elettaria or green cardamom powder is used as a spice for dishes and as a flavor in coffee and tea as well.
Black cardamom or amomum seeds or pods are much larger and dark brown and are often ground together with coffee beans to produce a mixture of the two, to make coffee. Cardamon is used quite a bit in Arabic Coffee, by adding it to the coffee while cooking as a powder. Black cardamom is sometimes used in a spice mix from India called garam masala for curries and in other curry powders. It is occasionally used in rice dishes as well and other dishes. It has also been used in the making of gin and is also just chewed by itself or used as the flavor in chewing gums.