Cardamom processing
Practical Action
Cleaning
The crop should be cleaned before processing. The first stage is to remove dust and dirt using a
winnowing basket. This can be made locally from bamboo, palm or other leaves. A worker who is
used to doing this can clean up to 100kg of cardamom in an eight hour day. Small machines
are available for cleaning, but they are often not cost effective.
After winnowing the capsules are washed in clean water. Two or three large plastic buckets (15
litre capacity) are sufficient for small amounts but for large quantities, it may be better to use a
sink with a drainage hole. Only water that is safe to drink should be used. It should be changed
regularly to prevent contamination.
Pre-treatment
After washing, the stalks are removed from the cardamom capsules by hand.
The capsules can be soaked in a solution of sodium bicarbonate (2-5%) for ten minutes to help
retain the green colour. This is an optional step. A 2% solution of sodium bicarbonate is
prepared by dissolving 20g (about 4 tea spoons) of sodium bicarbonate in 1 litre of water.
Drying
This is the most important part of the process as it affects the quality of the final product. It is
important to dry the cardamom capsules as soon after harvest as possible to prevent the loss of
flavour. It is also important that the drying process is as short as possible so that mould does
not grow on the capsules and the bright green colour is retained. The drying temperature should
not be above 50°C as this affects the colour and delicate flavour of the final product. In most
places, cardamom capsules with a good green colour can be sold for a premium price.
The moisture content of a fresh cardamom capsule is about 85%. This needs to be reduced to
10% in the dried product so the cardamom capsules can be stored. If the drying period is too
long mould can start to grow on the cardamom. There are several options available to the small-
scale processor, depending upon the size of the business and the local weather conditions at the
time of processing. Each method has different advantages and disadvantages:
Sun drying. Traditionally, cardamom capsules are spread on a concrete floor to dry using the
natural heat from the sun. The capsules should be placed away from direct sunlight to preserve
the green colour (strong sunlight will make the colour fade). This is the simplest and cheapest
method, but does not produce the highest quality product. It is only successful in places where
the climate is dry and hot. During the monsoon season for example, drying will be interrupted by
rainfall which can cause mould to grow on the capsules. During drying, the capsules may be
contaminated by dirt and dust from their surroundings.
Solar drying. The use of a solar dryer should improve the quality of the dried capsules as it is a
cleaner, more controlled environment. However, it is not a popular choice as the green colour is
lost during drying. The solar dryer is really only useful in dry hot sunny climates. The capsules
should be placed in the dryer, out of direct sunlight, and dried until they have a final moisture
content of 10%. In places with high humidity the solar dryer can only be used together with an
extractor fan to remove the humid air.
Wood-fired dryer. In India, cardamom
capsules are traditionally dried in curing
houses, using wood to provide the heat. This
method puts a huge demand on firewood.
The smoke from the fire can give the
capsules an unpleasant smoked flavour. The
processor must ensure that the capsules
closest to the heat source are not burnt or
scorched. Cardamom capsules dried by this
method are not of the highest quality.
Figure 2: A typical tray dryer
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