SPICE IT UP Know Your Cardamoms. There are many budding chefs and cooks that use heaps of spices in their recipes going by the success of cooking shows on television. Green and brown cardamom pods Indian, Asian and Mexican cooking particularly calls for a wide selection of these different spices.   Some spices though come in a variety of  grades, colours and uses making it possible for the unsuspecting cook to make a blunder. This may not necessarily result in a vast difference in the final flavour, but it can make your creation not as 'flavoursome' as it should be. Brown Chinese Cardamom Brown (black) Indian cardamom (right)   Would you say you ever used cardamom pods or cardamom? Did you know that there are different coloured cardamoms? Cardamom pods are one such spice that comes a variety of colours and suit different cuisines.     So if you think there’s just the one, you may have been doing your recipes and cooking a disservice. So which one should you use? Ian Hemphill says the default cardamom is the green cardamom pod. Inside are little black to brown seeds which is the important part of the pod. There are a couple of other cardamoms.  Brown cardamom-Indian and Chinese The brown Indian cardamom is a much larger pod than the green cardamom by 4-5 times the size. This cardamom has a smoky aroma and is especially used in tandoori dishes. Chinese cardamom is usually used whole. White Cardamom-be careful that you are actually get the real deal white cardamom and not bleached old cardamoms. Thai cardamom is the genuine white cardamom. White cardamom is hard to source. If you are cooking Thai dishes that call for this cardamom you may substitute green cardamom but half the quantity.   NOTE: Cardamom is also used in sweet dishes such as this cardamom scented rice pudding (pictured), cardamom cake and cardamom biscuits. Definitely use the sweet or green cardamom and not the brown cardamom!   * Ian’s big tip is never grind the pods and seeds together.* Let’s find out more by listening to the podcast. Marianne (host of Real World Gardener radio show) is Ian Hemphill from www.herbies.com.au Hopefully that’s set you on the right path to using the correct coloured cardamoms in your cooking.   If you have any questions you can email us [email protected] or write in to 2rrr, PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675.