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Every now and then I come across this seed pod when I order Baingan Bharta (aka Punjabi Eggplant) from my favorite Indian restaurant. They're roughly 2cm (3/4 inch) long and about as thick as a wooden pencil. The taste is strong and earthy and rather savory to my palate. The pod has three folds, for lack of a better word, and the seeds are smaller than okra/gumbo but have similar texture.

Thank you for your time.

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  • Here they are in action: youtu.be/9biIOtEYeHc?t=76
    – JacobIRR
    Commented Jan 13, 2022 at 15:11
  • There are also larger black cardamom seed pods which are used in the same way in South Asian dishes.
    – hb20007
    Commented Mar 31 at 13:51

1 Answer 1

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Looks like cardamom to me, regularly used in Indian and other South Asian cuisine and often left as whole seed pods in dishes for unsuspecting diners to accidentally chew on.

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    That's right, either push them to the side of the plate or eat them but if the latter don't chew too much - too much flavour and they get stuck in your teeth.
    – Chris H
    Commented Jan 13, 2022 at 9:01
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    They’re guaranteed to be in the very last mouthful;)
    – Tetsujin
    Commented Jan 13, 2022 at 10:35
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    @ChrisH 'too much flavour' is entirely subjective, as the degree to which they stick in teeth is heavily dependent on one's dentition. ;-)
    – Spagirl
    Commented Jan 13, 2022 at 11:19
  • @Spagirl indeed, my light squeeze would be too much for many people, and I do leave some on the plate, but overall like them. Others I know would eject a pod they'd accidentally eaten, and perhaps you might enjoy them more than me.
    – Chris H
    Commented Jan 13, 2022 at 13:42
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    The spice is also popular in baked goods in Scandinavia. In such recipes, the dark seeds are removed from the pods and ground before adding them to a dough or filling.
    – Michael Seifert
    Commented Jan 13, 2022 at 18:13

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