Cardamom

High school (ages 12+)
Food & Cooking

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/cardamom

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the scientific name (green cardamom)?Elettaria cardamomum
2. What is the primary producing countries?India, Guatemala, Indonesia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Tanzania
3. What is cardamom and why does it smell so good?Cardamom is a tiny spice that comes from green or black pods. It smells amazing because it has special chemicals like 1,8‑cineole that give it a camphor‑like, eucalyptus scent.
4. How is green cardamom grown and why is it expensive?Green cardamom grows in warm, humid forests in India. Farmers hand‑pick the pods before they ripen, which takes a lot of work, making the spice one of the most expensive in the world.

Zingiberaceae: The ginger family of flowering plants, which includes cardamom, turmeric, and ginger.
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs): Chemical compounds that easily evaporate at room temperature, responsible for aromas and flavors.
Ethnobotanical: Relating to the study of how people in a particular culture and region use indigenous plants.