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Produce => Recipes => Topic started by: tim on August 24, 2007, 17:10:56

Title: Cardamom
Post by: tim on August 24, 2007, 17:10:56
Is there any EASY way of getting the seeds out for grinding?
Title: Re: Cardamom
Post by: debster on August 24, 2007, 18:02:08
not that we know of sorry
Title: Re: Cardamom
Post by: valmarg on August 24, 2007, 18:06:03
Yep, you buy cardamom seeds from Fox's Spices - all ready to grind.  You can also get ground cardamom.

valmarg
Title: Re: Cardamom
Post by: tim on August 24, 2007, 19:03:45
Didn't know that they had the seeds - thanks.

But every stage of refinement loses flavour, so I persevere with the scissors, with dustpan & brush handy for when the leap out all over the floor!
Title: Re: Cardamom
Post by: debster on August 24, 2007, 19:15:50
when i crush the pods with a pestle and mortar ?spelling i do it just a little bit then shake the seeds out of the pods still quite laborious though
Title: Re: Cardamom
Post by: calendula on August 24, 2007, 20:19:23
you just need some good finger nails, mainly thumb nails actually and it is half the fun cracking open the pods as they smell so nice, I love them - have a nice jelly rx that uses them and  very nice in coffee
Title: Re: Cardamom
Post by: jennym on August 24, 2007, 22:43:56
Bung 'em under the grill for a few moments - the shell gets nice and brittle and then pop them into a plastic bag, bash with rolling pin and out they come. If you blow gently into the bag, the husks separate nicely from the seeds, too  ;)
Title: Re: Cardamom
Post by: grawrc on August 24, 2007, 22:46:18
I just treat them like garlic. Splat them and it all falls out?
Title: Re: Cardamom
Post by: silverbirch on August 24, 2007, 22:58:57
 :(I've always ground then seed pod and all.
Title: Re: Cardamom
Post by: Mrs Ava on August 24, 2007, 23:00:55
I'm another who does them whole with the pestle and mortar and then take out the green bits after the first couple of bashes.  I adore the scent and flavour and love cardamon ice cream.
Title: Re: Cardamom
Post by: dtw on August 25, 2007, 01:40:38
I squash them between my fingers and I roll them between my fingers and the seeds just fall out.

Doing a lot this way would be a bit tedious though.
Title: Re: Cardamom
Post by: tim on August 25, 2007, 06:27:48
Some fingers, mate!! I can barely get the kitchen scissors through them.

Aha!! - just tried 'splatting' with a large knife, like Garlic, & it's great. Thanks.

So how to grind? I used the coffee grinder I use for other spices &, like with Coriander, could only achieve a gritty result.
Title: Re: Cardamom
Post by: Doris_Pinks on August 26, 2007, 12:50:16
I use the splat then coffee grinder method. For a finer result would try the pestle n mortar, but a lot of work! :)  I "ahem" now cheat and buy it ready ground! (wonder if keeping it in the freezer immediately after opening it would keep it fresher?)
Title: Re: Cardamom
Post by: tim on August 26, 2007, 12:56:44
Not like the real thing!