Cardamon depot

[Manfred M]

The Portuguese, then the Dutch, the British and finally the locals have long vied to control south-western India. The main reason was the spice trade and many are either native to Southern India, or grow well in the local soil / local climate. Pepper, nutmeg, mace, vanilla, cocoa beans, coffee and cardamon are all grown here. This is the Thekkady district of Kerala State.

Cardamon (specifically green cardamon) grows in Kerala; black cardamon is grown in the north and white cardomon is just bleached green cardamon). It is the seed of a plant and the seed pods are found on stalks low to the ground. These are picked and dried by the grower and shipped to the local depot for sorting (by quality) and distribution. These are the cardamon seeds, still on the plant.


1. Cardamon pods on the plant




We were waiting for our car and driver outside of a cardamon depot, after walking through a local village, so asked if have a look and take a few pictures. Cardamon has always been one of my favourite spices.

The sun had just set so the lighting in the depot was poor (mostly fluorescent lights with a bit of the remaining ambient light coming through the windows).


2. The sign in front of the depot





3. A shipment of cardamon has just arrived from one of the local plantations. The high quality export grade product is seen in the cage in the background.





4. The cardamon is filled into sacks.





5. Some product in the filled sacks.





6. The filled sacks are dragged over to a bag closing machine that sews the sacks shut




7. Some of the product for both local consumption and other product that has not been sorted and graded is also stored in sacks.

[Shadowman]

So that's what that very pronounced spice looks like, nice series.

[Sergio M.]

Instructional series and well done considering the poor lighting conditions.

Sergio

[Mike Buckley]

Such a wonderful series!

Cardamom is also one of my favorite spices. I use it in tomato-based dishes and macaroons. A friend introduced me to a store-bought cardamom-flavored frozen yogurt that is to die for. Another good friend made a cardamom-flavored angel food cake that was so good I asked for a repeat performance years later.

[Wavelength]

The keenness with which sequentially arrange the images and make a story of them is awesome. One feels he/she is there....

PS: Idukki is the district and Thekkady is the hill station province of it

[joebranko]

Such a wonderful series!

Cardamom is also one of my favorite spices. I use it in tomato-based dishes and macaroons. A friend introduced me to a store-bought cardamom-flavored frozen yogurt that is to die for. Another good friend made a cardamom-flavored angel food cake that was so good I asked for a repeat performance years later.

I never thought of using cardamon in deserts! I have only used it in 'curry' dishes like butter chicken. I must check out desert recipes using it. Thanks for that tip!

[joebranko]

Great series! Always interesting to see how something is made/processed.

[Manfred M]

I never thought of using cardamon in deserts! I have only used it in 'curry' dishes like butter chicken. I must check out desert recipes using it. Thanks for that tip!

My first introduction to cardamon was as a child through my mother's German Christmas baking (ground cardamon). Of course, as an adult I also found out that it is often an ingredient in Indian cooking with the whole pod being used. I guess it shouldn't have been a surprise as the stuff does come from India!

[IzzieK]

The keenness with which sequentially arrange the images and make a story of them is awesome. One feels he/she is there....

PS: Idukki is the district and Thekkady is the hill station province of it

Nandy...this is reportage photography if I am not wrong. First two images are Cover Shots then Establishing Shots, the subsequent shots are Pre-laps and fillers and the last shot is the Closing Shot, pretty much like doing a video -- they have to be interconnected to create a story.

Please correct me if I am wrong.

[Manfred M]

Exactly Izzie - I'm also a videographer and have had pro level training in video production and video editing, so I will use the same approach in photojournalism sets.

[NorthernFocus]

Nice photo journal of the subject, Manfred.

Seems like a lot of work. Why don't they just go to the local supermarket and buy a bottle from the spice rack like we do?

In the film "100ft journey" the chef's favorite spice was cardamom because it reminded him so much of his home in India. For anyone who hasn't seen that film I highly recommend it.

[Wavelength]

You can add small pieces of dry cardamom pod or a small pinch of cardom powder to hot tea. It will get a nice flavor and taste; anyhow some* all not like it, but worthy of a trial

*i meant all may not like it

[Manfred M]

You can add small pieces of dry cardamom pod or a small pinch of cardom powder to hot tea. It will get a nice flavor and taste; anyhow some all not like it, but worthy of a trial

I became a Masala Chai drinker after my first trip to India. I used to be a heavy coffee drinker but I turn to tea 99% of the time now.