Whole spice
Black Cardamom
What is Black Cardamom?
Black cardamom is the smoky whole spice behind the depth in nihari, pulao and other slow-cooked Pakistani meat dishes.
What does it taste like?
Smoky, resinous and camphorous — a different spice from green cardamom despite the shared name, and far more assertive.
How Pakistanis use it
Whole black cardamom pods are added early to the oil or ghee in slow-cooked dishes like nihari and pulao, where their smoke infuses the pot over a long cook. Because the flavour is strong, pods are usually removed before serving rather than eaten.
Cooking with it
One or two pods are enough for a whole pot of pulao, nihari or yakhni. Crack a pod lightly with the back of a knife for a stronger flavour, or leave it whole for a gentler one. The seeds are also ground into garam masala. The smoky flavour comes from the way the pods are dried over open fires after harvest.
Where to buy it
Sold whole at South Asian grocers; look for large, dark, slightly wrinkled pods rather than small or pale ones.
Substitutes
Nothing copies it exactly. A green cardamom pod with a pinch of smoked paprika gives some of the warmth and smokiness; leave it out altogether rather than doubling another spice.
Storage
Keep pods whole and sealed in an airtight container; cracking them before use releases aroma too early and weakens the final dish.
