Kapulaga jawa - white cardamom

Unique!  D this round cardamom or white cardamom ( Beautiful girl ) is considered the best substitute for green cardamom, the “queen of spices”, in terms of flavor palette.  In Indonesia ë this false cardamom 'kapulaga jawa' is more used, and even more appreciated than the green 'real' cardamom. 

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The round, cream-colored seed pods of the Wurfbainia compacta ,  also called Amomum compactum, contains seeds, with aromatic properties  which are similar to those of  green cardamom, albeit slightly less sharp. For connoisseurs, this white cardamom is not a substitute, but the ultimate.

The plant   grows naturally in evergreen, tropical deciduous forests under moist, shady conditions, mainly in hilly areas between 200 and 1,000 metres in altitude. The plant grows to a height of two to four metres and has a root system with rhizomes that is very similar to that of the ginger plant. The growth habit is very compact, the leaves are lanceolate with a pointed tip, 50-100 cm long and 10-15 cm wide.  The plant flowers from the rhizome, that is, close to the ground. Six to eight weeks later the fruits are ripe.

The  White cardamom is harvested from the fourth year, with intervals of 35-45 days. In Java, harvesting occurs four times, twice in the wet season from January to July, and twice in the dry season from August to December. The fruits grow in clusters and are also harvested (cut) in clusters. Afterwards, the fruits are 'picked' one by one and laid out in the sun to dry.

The first harvests are usually meager, but yields increase over time.

The clusters  consist of 5-18 seed pods, each 1-1.5 cm in diameter. They have a downy hair and contain brown to black seeds, set in a whitish jelly (arylus). When ripe, the fruits are red-violet in color, with a white crown, as a remnant of the flower. The fruit pods turn pale cr you multi-coloured, like candlenut. During the drying process the jelly dries out  .

The pod is relatively easy to 'crack', small fruits are easiest to open, just like green cardamom, with a sharp knife. 

White cardamom is often used in Indian cuisine because it has a slightly sweet taste  with tones  of cinnamon and citrus. White cardamom works well with other spices such as coriander and cumin in curries or stews. It also goes well with ginger, nuts and coconut milk.

In Indonesian cuisine, white cardamom is a familiar sight, used in traditional Indonesian dishes such as rendang, opor, gulai or curry. The fragrant and strong scent of the 'kapulaga putih' lifts these dishes to an even higher level. Used to green cardamom? Dose carefully (takes some getting used to).

White cardamom powder? No

White cardamom powder  is becoming  not obtained from this white cardamom, but from green cardamom. To obtain the pale shade, the cardamom is treated with a bleaching solution of potassium metabisulfite  and hydrogen peroxide.  Traditionally it happened  this turned out  in a solution of  soap nuts. 

The bleaching process causes the cardamom to lose its eucalyptus aroma, a desirable effect (!) which is why this powder is widely used in baking and confectionery.  That is the essential difference between bleached white cardamom powder and ground white cardamom.

Smell and taste

White cardamom is less sharp but spicier than the 'real' green cardamom, which allows the taste palette, closely related to green cardamom, to come into its own better. The aromas are mainly in the seeds.

The main flavor components are:

• 1,8 cineole (up to 70%), camphor/eucalyptus, mint, refreshing,
• β-pinene (16%), camphorated, woody, cedar apple,
• α-pinene (4%), warm, cedar apple, sharp, as in nutmeg
• α-terpineol (5%), smoky cedar apple, as in lapsan souchon tea,
• Humulene (3%), cannabis aroma, also present in sage and mint.

Usage

The dried fruits are cut open so that only the seeds can be used.  As used in city ​​rice or Khao buri, a Thai so-called massaman curry, but also in other curries. Often the seed pod is bruised before use in curries and is removed after cooking, just like bay leaves or cloves.

In Vietnam, white cardamom is used in beef pho. In Indonesia, for example, in the Balinese lamb (stew) dish kambing mekuah or in es teh kapulaga (spicy creamy ice milk with kapulaga).

In Southeast Asia, an extract of this cardamom is available and is used as a substitute for vanilla in ice cream, whipped cream and custard. 

Features:

• 100% dried fruits of the  Wurfbainia compacta
• origin:  China (name: Bái dòukòu 白豆蔻)

Assortment

• available in glass and stand-up pouch up to 300 grams
• larger quantities on request

Gift wrapping

• The jar is available in a tasteful gift packaging, consisting of a cube box filled with black tissue paper
• For an overview of our gift packaging, please refer to the gift packaging section

General advice

• store white cardamom in a dark, dry and cool place

Save:

• preferably store in a dark, dry and cool place
• at least good until august 2026  (08/26)
• This expiration date is an indication

Batch number

The batch number helps us trace which supply an item originates from. It is stated on the packing slip and the invoice