Agua de Cardamomo

Guatemalan cardamom infusion with cinnamon and raw panela

Origin: Alta Verapaz, Guatemala

From the journey of Cardamom.

Guatemala produces roughly 80% of the world's cardamom yet consumes almost none of its own export crop (the vast majority of Guatemalan cardamom is shipped to Saudi Arabia, India, and the Middle East, where it flavours qahwa and masala chai. The irony runs deep: cardamom arrived in Guatemala only in 1914, when German settler Oscar Majus Kloeffer planted the first seeds in the cloud forests of Alta Verapaz, recognising that the cool, misty highlands between 1,000 and 2,000 metres were climatically identical to the Western Ghats of Kerala. Within a century, Guatemala had overtaken India as the world's largest producer. Agua de cardamomo is what Guatemalans actually drink at home) a light, fragrant herbal infusion simmered with cinnamon and sweetened with panela, the unrefined cane sugar that is Guatemala's everyday sweetener. Drunk hot in the morning or cold over ice in the afternoon, it is the quiet domestic face of a spice the world knows only as an export.

Ingredients

  • 12 green cardamom pods, bruised
  • 1000 ml water
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 40 g panela (raw cane sugar) or dark brown sugar
  • 0.5 lime, juice only

Method

  1. Bruise the cardamom pods with the flat of a knife or the bottom of a heavy glass: just enough to crack them open and expose the seeds inside.
  2. Combine the bruised cardamom, cinnamon stick, and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer.
  3. Simmer for 10–12 minutes until the water is fragrant and has taken on a light golden colour.
  4. Add the panela and stir until fully dissolved. Squeeze in the lime juice and stir once.
  5. Strain into cups or a serving jug, pressing the pods gently to extract the last of the flavour.
  6. Serve hot as a morning drink, or allow to cool completely, refrigerate, and serve over ice with an extra squeeze of lime for a refreshing afternoon drink.

Notes

The quality of the cardamom matters here (this is a simple recipe with nowhere to hide. Green cardamom from Alta Verapaz has a particularly floral, citrus-forward character compared to Indian Malabar cardamom, which is spicier and more resinous. Either works beautifully. Panela dissolves more slowly than refined sugar) break it into small pieces before adding. A slice of fresh ginger added with the cardamom gives the drink a warming edge that is traditional in some Alta Verapaz households.

The Gastrographer

The Gastrographer

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Ingredient originTrade or transit route
Became a culinary stapleColonial / trade control
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