Is cardamom a sweet or spicy food?

Cardamom is a spice with a bright, warm, and lightly sweet flavor with hints of orange. It's like a lighter, fresher cinnamon and works well for both sweet and savory dishes. Some people also describe cardamom as having a pine-like flavor.

What does cardamom go with?

Cardamom pairs well with other warm spices, such as cinnamon and nutmeg. So it's a good addition to a range of baked goods. It also lends a bright spice flavor to savory dishes and meats, like chicken.

What can I substitute cardamom with?

Cardamom has a distinct flavor, but the closest replacement is cinnamon or nutmeg. If you can also pair it with a little orange zest, even better.

Does cardamom go well with chicken?

Cardamom brings freshness and complexity to chicken, which is mild in flavor and often needs enhancing. It pairs well with other spices like cinnamon, cumin, and coriander, which may be used for seasoning chicken in Middle Eastern and Indian cooking.

Cardamom Chicken and Rice

Name: Cardamom Chicken and Rice
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: 2 medium onions; 2 large carrots; 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs; 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt; 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cardamom; 1/4 tsp ground cloves; 1/4 cup olive oil; 1 2/3 cups basmati rice; 1/4 cup dried currants; 2 cinnamon sticks; 2 ¼ cups boiling water; 1 small bunch of parsley; 1 small bunch of cilantro

Description

This one-pot cardamom chicken and rice dish is full of Middle Eastern flavors. It features the bright notes of cardamom and the burst of fresh herbs, along with onions, carrots, and dried currants.

Ingredients

Units Scale

2 medium onions
2 large carrots
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cardamom
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 cup olive oil
1 2/3 cups basmati rice
1/4 cup dried currants
2 cinnamon sticks
2 1/4 cups boiling water
1 small bunch of parsley
1 small bunch of cilantro

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Instructions

Prep the ingredients. Thinly slice the onions. Peel and thinly slice the carrots. Season the chicken thighs with 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of pepper, 1 teaspoon of cardamom, and 1/4 teaspoon of cloves. The remaining 1/2 teaspoons of salt and cardamom will be used in step 3.
Brown the chicken, Heat a large heavy bottomed pan over medium-low heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and when hot, add the chicken thighs. Brown on each side for 4-5 minutes. They will finish cooking with the rice. When browned, remove from the pan and set aside on a plate.
Cook the vegetables. Add the reamaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the pan, then the sliced onion and carrots. Sprinkle with the remaining salt and cardamom. Cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and softened, about 8-10 minutes.
Assemble the dish for cooking. Stir the rice and currants into the vegetables. Spread into an even layer. Add the two cinnamon sticks into the rice mixture. Arrange the chicken thighs over top, gently pressing them just a little into the rice. Slowly pour the boiling water into the pan.
Cook. Cover the pan, reduce the heat to low, and cook let cook for 30 minutes undisturbed. Meanwhile, roughly chop the herbs.
Serve. After 30 minutes, remove the cover. Serve the chicken and rice topped with the fresh herbs.

Notes

The chicken only needs to brown at first. It will finish cooking with the rice.

Make sure the water you add to the pan is boiling, which helps speed up cooking.

If you don't have a cover for your pan, you can cover it with foil instead.

Recipe adapted from the Jerusalem cookbook.

Prep Time: 30
Cook Time: 30
Category: Main Course
Method: Stove Top
Cuisine: Middle Eastern