This plant, with the Latin name Amomum cardamomum L., is a shrub with a height of up to three meters. The leaves have a pointed tip and are about 25–35 cm long and 10–12 cm wide. There are two types of cardamom plants that are often found, namely red cardamom and white cardamom.
A.The systematics of cardamom plants (Amomum compactum Soland) are classified as follows:
Kingdom : Plantae
Subkingdom : Tracheobionta
Division : Spermatophyta
Division : Magnoliophyta
Class : Liliopsida
Subclass : Commelinidae
Order : Zingiberales
Family : Zingiberaceae
Genus : Amomum
Species : Amomum compactum Soland
B.Understanding
The cardamom plant in several regions of Indonesia, such as Java, is known as kapulago; in Sunda, it is known as kapol; in Madura, it is known as (a) (b) 7 kapolagha or palahga; and in Bali, it is known as karkolaka. In South Sulawesi, it is known as garidimong. In Sumatra, it is known as pelaga or puwar pelaga. In Minangkabau, it is known as pua pulago or gardamunggu. In Madura, it is known as kardamunggu. In Malaysia, it is known as puar or pelaga. In France, it is known as amome a grappe. In England, it is known as java cardamom, round cardamom, or false cardamom.
C.Plant morphology and distribution
Cardamom is a plant with a height of 1.5 meters and has single leaves that are spread out, lanceolate in shape, pointed at the tip with flat edges, pointed at the base of the leaf, pinnately ribbed, and green in color. Cardamom stems are called false stems because they are covered in green leaf midribs. The stem shape is round, grows upright, and is about 1-3 meters high. Stems grow from rhizomes below the soil surface; one cluster can reach 20–30 pseudo-stems; old stems will die and be replaced by young stems that grow from other rhizomes. Cardamom flowers are compound, tuber-shaped, located at the base of the stem, with 12.5 cm long petals; the anthers are elliptical, 2 mm long; and the pistil is hairless and bowl-shaped. The crown is tubular, 12.5 mm long, and white or yellowish white. The crown bears a box of fruit with small black seeds. Cardamom fruit is round, elongated, curved, triangular, flat, yellowish white, or gray yellow. Cardamom fruit in the form of a box is found in small and short bunches. The fruit is arranged tightly in bunches; there are 5-8 pieces in each bunch. Cardamom, or capol, belongs to the Zingiberaceae family. Cardamom is a plant native to Indonesia that has spread across Java. Cardamom grows in primary forests and teak forests at an altitude of 200–1,000 meters below sea level. Cardamom also grows in chalky soil. Cardamom can be propagated generatively by seeds or vegetatively by suckers, or what are also called plant cuttings. Cardamom plants mainly grow in areas of high humidity, rainfall between 2,500 and 4,000 mm per year, and annual temperatures that are more or less warm and stable (23–28 oC). Cardamom is a native plant in the hilly areas of West Java that is now planted or grows as a wild plant. Cardamom is mainly produced commercially in West Java and South Sumatra.
D.Cardamom content
The benefits of cardamom include the fact that boiled water from the stems is used as a medicine to reduce heat (fever). Cardamom fruit is used as a flavoring agent and freshener for food and drinks. It is also used as a medicine for coughs, tonsils, irregular menstruation, heartburn, an itchy throat, gastric inflammation, fever, body odor, bad breath, shortness of breath, and influenza. Cardamom is used as an aromatic, carminative ingredient (reduces gas in the stomach or reduces flatulence), halitosis, and itchy throat. The essential oil from cardamom seeds is used as a flavoring in cakes, confectionery, perfume, and medicine.
E.Infusion of cardamom seeds
Cardamom seed infusion is made by extracting vegetable simplicia with water at a temperature of 90°C for 15 minutes (Badan POM RI, 2010). The way to make cardamom seed infusion is to make a simple powder by pounding it until fine, then weighing it, weighing 10 g, 20 g, and 40 g each, putting it in a pan, and adding extra water twice the weight of the ingredients. This aims to wet the walls of the simplicia so that they are completely wetted with water, then heated over a water bath for 15 minutes, starting from the temperature reaching 90°C while stirring occasionally. Mix when hot using a flannel cloth, and add enough hot water through the dregs to obtain the desired volume of infusion. The advantage of the infusion method is that the equipment used is simple and easy to use, and it can extract simplicia with water as a solvent in a short time. The disadvantage of this method is that it is easily contaminated with microbes because the juice produced is easily contaminated by germs and mold, so this preparation should not be stored for more than 2 months. Cardamom seed oil and extract also have healing properties that have been
Used as traditional medicine. Here are some of the health benefits of the cardamom plant!
- Helps lower blood pressure
Cardamom has antioxidant properties that can lower blood pressure due to its diuretic effect.
- protects the body from chronic diseases
The antioxidants in cardamom are believed to be able to protect the body from damage and stop inflammation.
- Treating infection problems
Cardamom has antibacterial effects that can treat infection problems. The effect of cardamom extract and essential oils is that they have compounds that can fight several types of bacteria.
- Overcoming digestive problems
The essential oil content in cardamom can overcome digestive problems, for example, stomach aches, nausea, difficulty defecating, and other digestive disorders.
- Maintain oral and dental health.
Extracts from cardamom seeds can help maintain oral health, preventing problems such as bad breath, gum disease, and cavities. This is because cardamom has antibacterial and antioxidant properties.
Cardamom is a spice that is commonly mixed with various foods and drinks. There are several ways to process cardamom that you can use:
- As a cough medicine
Cardamom contains essential oils: cineol, terpineol, borneol, protein, sugar, fat, silicate, betacampfer, sebinene, myrkene, myrtenal, carvona, terpinyl acetate, and grit. According to this content, cardamom has properties as a cough medicine. Cardamom also has properties to prevent bone loss. The way to make traditional cough medicine made from cardamom is to take five cardamom pods and one glass of clean water. Wash the cardamom fruit clean, then boil it in one glass of water until it boils. Drink the boiled cardamom water while it is still warm.
- Cardamom Milk Tea
Cardamom is also suitable for adding properties to milk or tea. To do this, crush enough Javanese cardamom fruit. Boil whole milk over low heat. Add the crushed cardamom. Wait and stir continuously until it boils. Then mix the brewed tea with cardamom milk. To enhance taste, you can use honey or date palm juice.
- Kardemummabullar
This dish is a cake rich in typical Swedish spices. To make it, you need to prepare cake dough by adding cardamom powder, milk, vegetable oil, and yeast. For the cake filling, use cardamom, sugar, butter, and a pinch of salt.
- Red Cardamom Banana
Another preparation of cardamom is this snack. To do this, cook brown sugar, butter, and cardamom powder. Cook like you would make a sauce. Once thick enough, add the red bananas. Cook until the bananas are soft; serve while warm.