Differences between White Cardamom, Green Cardamom, and Black Cardamom
White cardamom, also known as cardamom, white cardamom seed, white cardamom, cardamom rice, etc., is the dried fruit of the ginger family plant round cardamom. White cardamom has a round shape with slightly blunt edges, a milky white or light yellow color on the surface, a woody and brittle peel that easily cracks longitudinally, a light and slightly shiny inner wall, and contains about twenty to thirty seeds. White cardamom has a bitter and fragrant aroma, a slightly cool and bitter taste, and is often used to remove odors and enhance the spiciness in cooking, such as in braised dishes and hot pot.
Green cardamom, also known as lesser cardamom, grass cardamom, grass cardamom seed, or flying thunder, is the dried seed cluster of the ginger family plant green cardamom. It is also a type of aromatic spice. Green cardamom has an elongated or oval shape with a pointed tip and a slightly triangular base. Its surface is gray-brown, hard in texture, and when broken, the cross-section is wax-like and white in color. Green cardamom can remove gamey and strange tastes and enhance the unique flavor of dishes. It can be used together with or as a substitute for white cardamom in cooking. It is worth mentioning that some people mistakenly believe that green cardamom is the same as black cardamom, which is incorrect. Black cardamom is larger in size, has a shiny black color, a harder shell, and contains small seeds. It is also known as black cardamom seed and is the fruit of the ginger family plant black cardamom.
Black cardamom, also known as black fruit or jade fruit, commonly known as black cardamom, is the kernel of the evergreen tree in the Zingiberaceae family. After the fruit is harvested, the cardamom husk (which is also a common spice) is peeled off, and the hard shell is crushed to obtain the kernel. It is then soaked in lime water and dried. Black cardamom has an oval shape, approximately 3 centimeters long and 2 centimeters wide. Its surface is gray or gray-yellow, with distinctive longitudinal wrinkles and white frost hanging on the wrinkles. It is hard and not easily broken, and when broken, it has a marbled pattern with brown and yellow. Black cardamom can be directly used to make braised dishes or processed into powder after removing the fat.
