Cardamom is a plant having a strong prostate root system. The stems grow vertically up to a height of about 3 to 4 meters. Its leaves are either sword shaped or lancet shaped and grow up to 60 cms long. There are also cardamom stems that grow horizontally around 50 to 60 cms long. A fruit of cardamom consists of about 15 to 18 seeds.
The cultivation of cardamom plantation takes place mostly in countries like India, Sri Lanka, China and few other countries of the world. One must ensure collection of the fruit before it becomes ripe. The main season for cardamom plantation is from August to April. Once the fruit is removed, it has to pass through a drying process. It is dried either under the hot sun or at home on specially made carpets. Once the fruits are completely dry, you can fume them with Sulfur dioxide in order to kill and destroy any germs.
The best way to store cardamom is in its pod without removing the seeds. The reason is because the seeds once removed from the pod will lose about 30% essential oil within a period of 8 months. Hence, keeping the cardamom in a cool and dark place without removing the pod is the best option.
Cardamom contains at least a minimum of 8% of starch, Amidon, essential oil and other ingredients that are rich and healthy. It also helps in curing treatments such as digestive disorders, increases appetite and also deals in flatulence. Flatulence is the accumulation of gas in a human intestine and stomach. The best way to start treatment is to consume cardamom three times a day. Chewing cardamom seeds also help in eradicating bad breath. Most of the people living in Asian countries also add cardamom while they prepare tea which gives a soothing taste along with a pleasant smell.