Make aromatic ground cardamom easily at home by simply grinding down whole green cardamom pods. Ready in less than 10 minutes, my recipe makes a small batch but you can easily scale it up or down. It's deliciously complex flavour works wonderfully in Indian sweets and savoury dishes too.
I can't get over just how easy and quick it is to make my own ground cardamom! I just dry-roast the whole cardamom pods on the stove and whizz up in a spice grinder. A quick sieve to get a fine powder and hey presto! Flavourful green cardamom powder in minutes.
I've known for years that making homemade Indian spices is far superior (tandoori masala, hot madras curry powder) but it took me a while to do the same with cardamom. Cardamom powder is one of my most reached for spice too, especially at Diwali and special occasions!
I love that I can buy one packet of whole cardamom, keep half as it is and grind down the other half. No need to separately buy the cardamom powder and both remain fresh.
I've seen some recipes make cardamom powder by grinding the pods with sugar. I haven't used sugar as I want this powder to be purely cardamom. Essentially, sugar helps to grind the pods finely. I toast the pods instead which removes moisture and makes the skin easier to grind.
What you will need
Be sure to check out the full recipe and exact ingredient list below in the recipe card.
Whole green cardamom pods - bonus points if you buy these fresh and use as soon as possible. You will get cardamom powder that is even more strong than shop-bought. Don't use the larger black cardamom - they aren't the same.
Pan - needed to dry-toast the spice. Use a heavy-bottomed pan so the cardamom doesn't burn.
Spice grinder - I've found that using a spice grinder over a standard food processor gives much finer results. A high power nutri blender jar also does a good job.
Sieve - ultimately, you will get some bigger pieces of the skin no matter how good your grinder is. Sieving gives you a delicate fine powder that is smoother for desserts and baking - perfect for nankhatai. Don't discard the larger pieces - use in cardamom chai for zero-waste!
How to make ground cardamom & Tips
You want to start by toasting the cardamom pods to remove moisture. I heat a heavy bottomed pan on low heat. Toast the pods, whilst constantly stirring, until the skin has slight brown spots. Your kitchen is already going to start smelling awesome! Remove from the heat as soon as they're done. I took the cardamom out into a plate and spread out so they cool quickly.
Here's a neat trick - you can microwave the cardamom pods instead of toasting on the stove. Place the cardamom on a microwave safe plate and heat in 10 second bursts until warm to touch.
Once cooled, place in a grinder jar and grind until you get a fine powder. It will take around 20-30 seconds, depending on the power of your appliance.
Note that seeds can stick to the grinder - my tip is to not over-crowd the grinder and over-grind. There is less chance the seeds will release oil and get stuck.
Sieve the powder to get it fine and remove the larger pieces of skin. Store in a container that has an airtight seal.
Storage
Cardamom powder, if stored well, can keep for up to 3 months. After this, it will loose some freshness, however shouldn't spoil. I use a jar with an airtight lid and use a clean, dry spoon with every use - this prevents moisture seeping in and the cardamom powder from clumping.
How to use it
To get 1 teaspoon of ground cardamom, you need approximately 5-6 whole cardamom pods.
Use your homemade cardamom powder in any recipe that calls for ground cardamom. I use it in desserts such as shrikhand, bakes like barfi biscuits and mithai - see my barfi peda collection.
Some recipes, example shahi paneer, are made by grinding down whole spices. Use this cardamom powder as a substitute for the whole green cardamom pod.
As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!
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📖 Recipe
Cardamom Powder
Equipment
- Spice Grinder
- Skillet or Shallow Frying Pan
- Fine mesh sieve
Ingredients
- ½ cup green cardamom pods
Instructions
- Heat skillet or frying pan over medium-low heat, add ½ cup green cardamom pods.
- Lower the heat and roast the pods until fragrant and very light brown spots appear on the skin.
- Remove from the heat, transfer them on another bowl or plate and allow to cool completely.
- Once cooled, add to the spice grinder bowl, grind until you achieve a fine powder. Sieve to remove the large pieces. Optionally grind these larger pieces again and sieve to extract the maximum amount of cardamom powder.
Notes
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
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Hayley Dhanecha says
I enjoy grinding cardamom in small batches at home, it makes everything feel a bit more special and the flavour is so much more vibrant. It adds such a beautiful warmth and fragrance to everyday cooking and baking.