Cardamom, << KAHR duh muhm, >> is the fruit of several plants in the ginger family. The fruit and seeds grow in a small shell about 3/4 inch (19 millimeters) long. The seeds give an oil that is used in medicine as a stimulant. American and English medicine recognize only the cardamom which grows in Malabar, India, as the true, or official, cardamom. This kind of cardamom also grows in Jamaica. It reaches a height of 10 feet (3 meters) and has white flowers with blue stripes and a yellow margin. Other forms of cardamom grow in the East Indies, the Bengal region, and Sri Lanka. People in some countries use the fruit of the cardamom as a seasoning for sauces, curries, and cordials. In Scandinavia and northern Germany, the people like baked goods that are flavored with cardamom.
