Black cardamom
Spice & roots· spice

What it is
Black cardamom is the dried, smoke-cured pod of Amomum subulatum, a plant native to the eastern Himalayas.
What it tastes like
On the nose: camphor, lavender, pine, floral. Among its measured molecules: delta-terpinyl acetate, p-cymen-8-ol, β-Terpineol, beta-selinene, alpha-terpinyl acetate.
What goes with it
- Rosemaryboth carry 1,8-cineole, camphorcite
- Galangalboth carry 1,8-cineole, camphorcite
- Peppermintboth carry 1,8-cineole, camphorcite
Salt and acid
Salt
Salt not measured yet.
Acid
Acid not measured yet.
Unusual pairings
Pairs the library can cite that almost nobody makes.
- Black cardamom + Calamansi
both carry geranyl acetate, lavender (46 of 338 carry it)
- Black cardamom + Rosemary
both carry 1,8-cineole, camphor (43 of 338 carry it)
- Black cardamom + Turmeric
both carry 1,8-cineole, camphor (43 of 338 carry it)
29 of 33 compounds on file carry a paper the library can cite.
1,8-cineolearomaterpenoidreads as camphor-like odor (PubChem)Measured in 38 of 338 ingredients.cite
70.061% of Amomum subulatum oil, the largest single component (vs 30.148% in C. elettaria); text calls it 'the primary component' with 'a camphoraceous and refreshing aroma' — Arun Gopinath et al. 2023, Oriental Journal Of Chemistry (Table 3, row 6 (OXIDE))linaloolaromaalcoholreads as spicy, citrus taste (PubChem)Measured in 91 of 338 ingredients.cite
0.158% of Amomum subulatum oil (vs 0.438% in C. elettaria) — Arun Gopinath et al. 2023, Oriental Journal Of Chemistry (Table 3, row 20 (MONOTERPENOL))camphenearomaterpenoidreads as camphor-like (PubChem)Measured in 19 of 338 ingredients.cite
0.053% of Amomum subulatum oil (vs 0.022% in C. elettaria) — Arun Gopinath et al. 2023, Oriental Journal Of Chemistry (Table 3, row 18 (MONOTERPENE))alpha-pinenearomaterpenoidreads as odor of turpentine (PubChem)Measured in 71 of 338 ingredients.cite
3.08% of Amomum subulatum oil (vs 1.17% in C. elettaria) — Arun Gopinath et al. 2023, Oriental Journal Of Chemistry (Table 3, row 14 (MONOTERPENE))γ‑terpinenearomaterpenoidMeasured in 44 of 338 ingredients.cite
0.493% of Amomum subulatum oil (vs 0.749% in C. elettaria) — Arun Gopinath et al. 2023, Oriental Journal Of Chemistry (Table 3, row 15 (MONOTERPENE))α-terpinenearomaterpenoidMeasured in 16 of 338 ingredients.cite
0.301% of Amomum subulatum oil (vs 0.404% in C. elettaria) — Arun Gopinath et al. 2023, Oriental Journal Of Chemistry (Table 3, row 11 (MONOTERPENE))p-cymenearomaterpenoidreads as mild pleasant odor (PubChem)Measured in 42 of 338 ingredients.cite
0.812% of Amomum subulatum oil (vs 0.731% in C. elettaria) — Arun Gopinath et al. 2023, Oriental Journal Of Chemistry (Table 3, row 16 (MONOTERPENE))decanalaromaaldehydereads as citrus odor (PubChem)Measured in 36 of 338 ingredients.cite
0.046% of Amomum subulatum oil (vs 0.072% in C. elettaria) — Arun Gopinath et al. 2023, Oriental Journal Of Chemistry (Table 3, row 27 (ALDEHYDE))linalyl acetatearomaterpenoidreads as bergamot-lavender odor (PubChem)Measured in 12 of 338 ingredients.cite
0.022% of Amomum subulatum oil (vs 0.932% in C. elettaria) — Arun Gopinath et al. 2023, Oriental Journal Of Chemistry (Table 3, row 3 (ESTER))β-TerpineolaromaalcoholMeasured in 5 of 338 ingredients.cite
0.73% of Amomum subulatum oil (vs 0.106% in C. elettaria) — Arun Gopinath et al. 2023, Oriental Journal Of Chemistry (Table 3, row 23 (MONOTERPENOL))terpinen-4-olaromaalcoholreads as pine (PubChem)Measured in 41 of 338 ingredients.cite
1.741% of Amomum subulatum oil (vs 1.689% in C. elettaria) — Arun Gopinath et al. 2023, Oriental Journal Of Chemistry (Table 3, row 21 (MONOTERPENOL))terpinolenearomaterpenoidreads as terpene taste (PubChem)Measured in 38 of 338 ingredients.cite
0.162% of Amomum subulatum oil (vs 0.409% in C. elettaria) — Arun Gopinath et al. 2023, Oriental Journal Of Chemistry (Table 3, row 17 (MONOTERPENE))p-cymen-8-olaromaterpenoidMeasured in 4 of 338 ingredients.cite
0.032% of Amomum subulatum oil (vs 0.368% in C. elettaria) — Arun Gopinath et al. 2023, Oriental Journal Of Chemistry (Table 3, row 24 (MONOTERPENOL))beta-pinenearomaterpenoidreads as terpene odor (PubChem)Measured in 55 of 338 ingredients.cite
6.348% of Amomum subulatum oil (vs 0.283% in C. elettaria) — Arun Gopinath et al. 2023, Oriental Journal Of Chemistry (Table 3, row 9 (MONOTERPENE))alpha-terpineolaromaalcoholreads as floral, lilac (PubChem)Measured in 54 of 338 ingredients.cite
5.205% of Amomum subulatum oil, described in the text as 'found abundant in A. subulatum...the strongest phytoconstituent associated to the monoterpenol' (vs 1.809% in C. elettaria) — Arun Gopinath et al. 2023, Oriental Journal Of Chemistry (Table 3, row 22 (MONOTERPENOL))α-thujenearomaterpenoidMeasured in 19 of 338 ingredients.cite
0.286% of Amomum subulatum oil (vs 0.279% in C. elettaria) — Arun Gopinath et al. 2023, Oriental Journal Of Chemistry (Table 3, row 10 (MONOTERPENE))sabinenearomaterpenoidMeasured in 32 of 338 ingredients.cite
1.31% of Amomum subulatum oil (vs 2.091% in C. elettaria) — Arun Gopinath et al. 2023, Oriental Journal Of Chemistry (Table 3, row 7 (MONOTERPENE))limonenearomaterpenoidreads as pleasant lemon-like (PubChem)Measured in 91 of 338 ingredients.cite
5.562% of Amomum subulatum oil (vs 3.095% in C. elettaria) — Arun Gopinath et al. 2023, Oriental Journal Of Chemistry (Table 3, row 13 (MONOTERPENE))3-carenearomaterpenoidMeasured in 19 of 338 ingredients.cite
1.159% of Amomum subulatum oil (vs 0.018% in C. elettaria) — Arun Gopinath et al. 2023, Oriental Journal Of Chemistry (Table 3, row 19 (MONOTERPENE))myrcenearomaterpenoidreads as pleasant (PubChem)Measured in 68 of 338 ingredients.cite
0.736% of Amomum subulatum oil (vs 1.406% in C. elettaria) — Arun Gopinath et al. 2023, Oriental Journal Of Chemistry (Table 3, row 8 (MONOTERPENE))alpha-terpinyl acetatearomaterpenoidMeasured in 9 of 338 ingredients.cite
4.078% of Amomum subulatum oil (vs 46.316% in C. elettaria) — Arun Gopinath et al. 2023, Oriental Journal Of Chemistry (Table 3, row 1 (ESTER))beta-selinenearomaterpenoidMeasured in 8 of 338 ingredients.cite
0,743% of Amomum subulatum oil (the table's own comma decimal, printed exactly as shown; vs 1.199% in C. elettaria) — Arun Gopinath et al. 2023, Oriental Journal Of Chemistry (Table 3, row 29 (SEQUITERPENE))geranialaromaterpenoidreads as strong lemon odor (PubChem)Measured in 21 of 338 ingredients.cite
0.0891% of Amomum subulatum oil (vs 0.69% in C. elettaria) — Arun Gopinath et al. 2023, Oriental Journal Of Chemistry (Table 3, row 25 (ALDEHYDE))neralaromaterpenoidMeasured in 18 of 338 ingredients.cite
0.032% of Amomum subulatum oil (vs 0.069% in C. elettaria) — Arun Gopinath et al. 2023, Oriental Journal Of Chemistry (Table 3, row 26 (ALDEHYDE))geranyl acetatearomaterpenoidreads as odor of lavender (PubChem)Measured in 24 of 338 ingredients.cite
0.15% of Amomum subulatum oil (vs 1.111% in C. elettaria) — Arun Gopinath et al. 2023, Oriental Journal Of Chemistry (Table 3, row 4 (ESTER))caryophyllenearomaterpenoidMeasured in 50 of 338 ingredients.cite
0.097% of Amomum subulatum oil (vs 0.0216% in C. elettaria) — Arun Gopinath et al. 2023, Oriental Journal Of Chemistry (Table 3, row 30 (SEQUITERPENE))beta-ocimenearomaterpenoidMeasured in 13 of 338 ingredients.cite
0,052% of Amomum subulatum oil (the table's own comma decimal, printed exactly as shown; vs 0.056% in C. elettaria) — Arun Gopinath et al. 2023, Oriental Journal Of Chemistry (Table 3, row 12 (MONOTERPENE))nerolidolaromaalcoholMeasured in 14 of 338 ingredients.cite
1.533% of Amomum subulatum oil (vs 1.084% in C. elettaria) — Arun Gopinath et al. 2023, Oriental Journal Of Chemistry (Table 3, row 28 (SEQUITERPENOL))delta-terpinyl acetatearomaMeasured in 1 of 338 ingredients.cite
0.0231% of Amomum subulatum oil (vs 0.24% in C. elettaria) — Arun Gopinath et al. 2023, Oriental Journal Of Chemistry (Table 3, row 2 (ESTER))
On file, no cited source yet ✳
These molecules are on record for it from the library's earlier sources. We are buying and requesting the papers; each one that lands moves its molecule up into the cited list.
- 1-(2,4-Dihydroxy-6-methoxyphenyl)-3-phenylprop-2-en-1-oneflavonoid
- dihydroxymethoxychalconeflavonoid
- protocatechuic acidacid
- protocatechualdehydephenol
Sources
- Arun Gopinath et al. 2023, Oriental Journal Of Chemistry