A smoky scent, less intense than that of green cardamom. In India, it is mainly used in savory dishes.

Less known than green cardamom, sometimes wrongly considered inferior to the latter, black cardamom is a very fragrant spice that deserves special attention. The brownish pods, larger than the green ones, most often grow in the wild and are dried in the fire. The seeds found inside have a camphor, woody and slightly smoky aroma.

To get the most flavor, it's best to extract the seeds and grind them right before using them. Black cardamom perfumes several savory classics of Indian cuisine such as tikka. Its slightly resinous scent also complements game or red meat dishes very well. If you grind it with the bark, the smoky aroma will be more pronounced than if you only use the seeds.