Exactly which kind of cardamom should I use in pho (phở)?
I have been cooking pho for a while. Pho recipes differ from one another, but one of the most common spice ingredients is cardamom. Having looked at various sources, recipes, and Wiki pages, I feel more confused than ever. Some insist that green cardamom should be used in pho, which is also what I myself have been using to cook pho. For example this recipe apparently uses green cardamom.
However, a whole lot of pages point to black cardamom. The problem is that it seems what is known as "black cardamom" is not monolithic but an umbrella term for two similar spices. According to its Wikipedia page:
At least two distinct species of black cardamom occur: Amomum subulatum (also known as Nepal cardamom) and Amomum tsao-ko. The pods of A. subulatum, used primarily in the cuisines of India and certain regional cuisines of Pakistan, are the smaller of the two, while the larger pods of A. tsao-ko (Chinese: wiktionary:草果; pinyin: cǎoguǒ; Vietnamese: thảo quả) are used in Chinese cuisine, particularly that of Sichuan, and Vietnamese cuisine.
In another section of the same page:
The pods are often used in Vietnam, where they are called thảo quả and used as an ingredient in the broth for the noodle soup called phở.
So I gather from this page that it should be tsao ko that goes in pho.
But I still have doubts. I happen to have tsao ko, a lot of it, and it is something I use quite frequently in other Asian dishes. It looks similar to the black cardamom in a lot of pictures on recipe sites, but not quite the same. Examined closely enough, tsao ko is round, fleshy, plump, and looks like this:
In contrast, the black cardamom shown in pho recipe photos and most commonly available is leaner, pointier:
I think it is very obvious they are different things and the latter is apparently the other black cardamom, Amomum subulatum. A pho recipe site links to this Amazon page. It seems what is sold as "black cardamom" is most likely Amomum subulatum.
So here are my questions: What is pho in Vietnam cooked with? Is it a divided matter, a matter of preference? Is green cardamom used at all? If black cardamom is the way to go, which black cardamom?
Best Answer
In ph? soup, we use th?o qu?, or Lanxangia tsao-ko, formerly known as Amomum tsaoko. Th?o qu? trees are grown in Northern Vietnam, Laos, and in Yunnam China (known as ??).
We call Black cardamom (Amomum subulatum) as ??u kh?u th?m. Black cardamom trees are grown in India, Nepal, Burma, Tibet, Yunnam. Black cardamom trees are not native to Vietnam, and their pods are not used in ph? traditonally.
We call green cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum) as b?ch ??u kh?u. Like black cardamom, it's not used in ph?, either.
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Quick Answer about "Exactly which kind of cardamom should I use in pho (phở)?"
In ph? soup, we use th?o qu?, or Lanxangia tsao-ko, formerly known as Amomum tsaoko. Th?o qu? trees are grown in Northern Vietnam, Laos, and in Yunnam China (known as ??). We call Black cardamom (Amomum subulatum) as ??u kh?u th?m.What cardamom is used for pho?
Black Cardamom, another warm and earthy spice, looks like small wrinkled nuts. Cardamom infuses pho broth with smoky taste and minty menthol aroma. Green cardamon is milder and sweet and can also be used if you enjoy the aroma and flavor.Can you use ground cardamom for pho?
Spices: There are 5 important spices in pho broth \u2014 star anise, whole cloves, cinnamon sticks, cardamom pods, and coriander seeds. I really recommend using the whole (not ground) spices if possible, which we will briefly toast to bring out extra flavor.Is Tsao Ko same as black cardamom?
Cao guo, or Chinese cardamom, is a species of black cardamom (sometimes called red cardamom) related to Indian black cardamom but subtly different in look and flavor.Is green cardamom the same as ground cardamom?
If you're using green cardamom in a recipe, ideally you'd start with whole cardamom pods. If you buy ground cardamom (i.e. cardamom powder) from the spice section, it won't be as flavorful since the essential oils of the cardamom seed will lose their flavor relatively quickly after the seeds are ground.Legit Vietnamese Pho At Home
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Answer 2
I think you have actually answered your own question:
Some insist that green cardamom should be used in pho, which is also what I myself have been using to cook pho.
And later:
However, a whole lot of pages point to black cardamom.
Not being an expert on Asian cooking (far from it) you may have run across regional differences, or personal preferences. I would be tempted to say, use what you like the best. Or use what goes best with what you are serving with the Pho.
A recipe is not a hard and fast rule on how something must be cooked, rather a list of guidelines around which you can improvise to suit yourself, your family or the meal itself.
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Blue Bird, Blue Bird, Andrea Piacquadio, RODNAE Productions