Cardamom

Cardamom, known in Arabic as hal, is an aromatic spice that comes from the small pods of a plant in the ginger family. In Lebanon and across the region it is best known as a companion to coffee: cardamom is added to the pot when brewing Arabic or Turkish-style coffee to give it its familiar fragrance. It is also used in sweets and puddings, rice dishes, spiced tea and some stews. Cardamom can be used whole, lightly cracked, or ground shortly before cooking. You can find cardamom, sold by weight, at Dekenet Al Nes in Baaqline, in the Chouf. Dekenet Al Nes is a package-free grocery store, so customers are encouraged to bring their own containers and take the amount they need, which helps cut plastic waste and single-use packaging.