Green cardamom has a camphor like aroma with strong hints of eucalyptus and is a member of the ginger family with floral aromas. It works equally well in desserts as well as savoury dishes. With citrusy freshness, cardamom cuts through rich, fatty dishes, such as cream, chocolate or nuts. Cardamom is native to India, where it is used mainly in curries, but has made its way through the Middle East as an important ingredient in their aromatic coffee all the way to Scandinavian countries, where it is popular in their sweet bakes. It is the seeds in the pods that contain the aromatic oils and so are best kept whole to keep them as fresh as possible.