White Cardamom (Round, yellowish-white to brown, with three longitudinal grooves, the pericarp is light and brittle and splits longitudinally, the seeds are irregularly shaped with a high back)

(Above) Dongpo Cardamom (Below) Indonesian Cardamom

【Naming】

White Cardamom

 【Source】

Song Kaibao

 【Common Usage Level】

C

 【Botanical Origin】

The dried, nearly mature fruit of the Zingiberaceae plant, White Cardamom Amomum cardamomum L.

 【Characteristics】

Fruit, commercially known as “Dou Kou”. Slightly spherical, with 3 shallow longitudinal grooves, inconspicuous blunt trihedral angles, and some vein markings. Diameter is approximately 1.2~1.7 cm. The outer skin is yellowish-white, smooth, with 25~32 raised longitudinal lines. One end has a small protrusion, and the other end has a fruit stalk scar. The furrows at both ends often have yellow villi. The pericarp is light and brittle, easily splitting longitudinally, containing 20~30 seeds, clustered together, commonly known as “Kou Qiu”. The Kou Qiu is divided into 3 lobes with white septa, each lobe containing 7~10 seeds, commonly known as “Bai Kou Ren” or “Kou Mi”, which are irregular polyhedra, with a slightly arched and raised back, 3~4 mm in diameter, the surface is dark brown or grayish-brown, with fine ripples, and a small circular depression at one end. Hard in texture, white in cross-section, and oily. Aromatic in odor, pungent and cool in taste.

 【Identification】

“Those with a pungent and intense taste are good.” (Ben Cao Jing Ji Zhu). “Not as good as those coming from foreign ships.” (Ben Cao Gang Mu). “Those that are round, plump, and light in color are considered good.” (Liang Lie Jian Bie).
Superior quality is indicated by large, intact grains, plump seed clusters, pungent and cool aroma, no bitter taste, and no empty shells.

 【Category】

Fruits