Ingredient profile
Badi Elaichi
Amomum subulatum
Black cardamom, a smoky aromatic spice traditionally used to support digestion.
- Hindi
- बड़ी इलायची
- Sanskrit
- Sthula Ela
- Family
- Zingiberaceae
- Part used
- seed
Traditional use
Badi elaichi, or black cardamom, has large, dark, wrinkled pods with a smoky, camphor-like aroma, different from the familiar green cardamom.
In Ayurvedic tradition
Used in Ayurveda as a warming aromatic spice that supports digestion, and in savoury cooking.
Ayurvedic properties
- Rasa (taste): Pungent, bitter
- Guna (qualities): Light, dry
- Virya (potency): Heating
- Vipaka (post-digestive effect): Pungent
- Effect on the doshas: Balances kapha and vata
How it is traditionally taken
Used whole or ground in cooking and in digestive blends.
Safety notes
Commonly used as a food spice; use concentrated forms as directed. Use as directed on the product label. This profile is for general education and is not medical advice.
References
- Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India (monograph: Sthula Ela) pharmacopoeia