How to use cardamom powder: 6 easy ways

Cardamom powder is ground from the small green pods. It smells sweet, floral and a little like citrus, and tastes warm with a cool edge. It is strong, so a pinch lifts a whole pot of chai, a batch of mandazi or a dish of rice.

How much to use

Use a pinch to a quarter teaspoon per cup of tea, and half a teaspoon for a batch of mandazi (about 2 cups of flour). For rice or pilau, a quarter teaspoon per 2 cups is plenty.

Ways to use it

1. Chai. Add a pinch to the pot with the tea leaves and milk, and let it simmer for a minute.
2. Mandazi and cakes. Mix half a teaspoon into the flour with the sugar. It gives that smell people notice from the street.
3. Uji and porridge. Stir a pinch into millet or maize uji at the end, with a little sugar or honey.
4. Pilau and spiced rice. Add a quarter teaspoon with the other spices when you fry the onions.
5. Coffee. Stir a pinch into the grounds before you brew, or into a hot cup of black coffee.
6. Rice pudding and custard. A quarter teaspoon in a pot of milk pudding or custard gives a gentle floral note.

Keeping it fresh

Keep it in a small, tightly closed jar in a cool, dry cupboard, away from light. The smell fades faster than most spices, so close the lid straight away and use the pack within about 6 months.

Which pack to choose

Cardamom is strong and used by the pinch, so the 50g pack lasts a long time in most homes. Choose the 100g pack if you bake mandazi often, run a small business, or share with others.

Next step: Add it to your order in the shop, or ask Glow on WhatsApp which pack suits you.