The first records of the use of cardamom date back to ancient Sri Lanka, where even now it’s an important component of Ayurvedic medicine.
Today the largest producer is Guatemala with India second. Arab countries consume more than half of the worldwide production of cardamom, using it mainly for flavouring coffee.
There are two types: Elettaria cardamomum, green or true cardamom (the best quality); and black cardamom, which is a different plant (Amomum subulatum), although both are in the ginger family.
These two types of cardamom were distinguished in the
