Few things are more frustrating than getting all ready to make a special recipe only to discover you're out of an herb or spice. Cardamom, a member of the ginger family and native to India, has a sweet-spicy flavor with hints of citrus, making it particularly difficult to replace. However, if you've got a whole lemon, a few basic kitchen tools, and a few pantry staples, you can come with an acceptable substitute.
Step 1
Wash your lemon in warm running water to remove any pesticides, then wipe dry with a clean kitchen towel or paper towel.
Step 2
Remove the zest -- the outermost, yellow-colored skin -- from your lemon. The best tool for this, according to "Cook's Illustrated" magazine, is a microplane grater, but you can also use a citrus zester or vegetable peeler as long as you're careful not to get any of the white part and chop the zest into small pieces before use.
Step 3
Measure your zest with a measuring spoon. For every 1/2 tsp. of ground cardamom your recipe calls for, you'll need a quarter tsp. of lemon zest, since lemon zest has a stronger lemon flavor than cardamom pods.
Step 4
Measure out your cinnamon; you'll need a quarter tsp. of cinnamon for every half tsp. of ground cinnamon the recipe calls for. Cinnamon, reports the webiste CDKitchen helps replicate the sweet, spicy parts of cardamom's flavor.
Tips and Warnings
- When making recipes where a little extra spice would be welcome, such as Indian curries, you can also add a quarter to a half tsp. of freshly-grated ginger.
- Don't use cinnamon that's been in your cabinet more than 6 months. Though not dangerous, it will have lost the majority of its flavor.
Things You'll Need
- Whole lemon
- Microplane grater or box grater with small, shallow holes
- Cinnamon
- Fresh ginger (optional)
References
- "Cook's Illustrated"; Lemon Zest 101; March 2004
- CDKitchen : Cardamom Subsitution
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