cardomon pods

[bubbles4920]

does this taste like liquorice and is it found in indian curries? i sometimes find a bit of bark? in my food in indian restaurants and have now made my own but not sure what it is lacking now i have made it.

[Goodsoulette]

Sort of like liquorice. Sweet and spicey (not hot spicey) but quite refreshing like mint all at the same tme. But the woody bts sound about right. Pilau rice also contains cinnamon sticks so the cardamom could be flavouring them and thats the bark you are chewimg on,.

[jack daniels]

Hi bubbles
cinnamon is bark
cardomon pods aka - elaichi, are usually pale green/yellow in colour although you can get larger black ones which can both be used in indian curries.
They contain a tight cluster of seeds and are used as a breath freshener in their dry state.
You would need to acquire a taste for them, although I like the flavour they give in food I don't like eating the seeds/pods themselves.
take a look on

http://images.google.co.uk/images?hl=en&q=card omon&btnG=Search+Images&gbv=2

hope this helps

[hammerman]

The black woody bits in rice are usually cloves or bits of star anisse.

Cardamon pods (seeds) are usually green. Crush then with the flat bit of a knife and chuck them in your rice water when it's boiling. They float so it's easy to skim them off when the rice is done.

Try a fesh or dried bayleaf or two in your curries too (remove when cooked)

[Lord Unstone]

fennel, is the seed that tastes like liquorice. After a curry, if you chew a few seeds, they freshen your breath. Some Indian restaurants have sugar coated fennel sweets for the same purpose.

[sharminnnnnn]

I doubt its cardamom thats lacking in your homemade curry as not all curries require it.

Its a rather 'sweet' flavour and often used in savoury food, but more commonly in indian sweets.

The bark you refer to is cinammon