There’s this Indian spiced rice pudding that I make every now and then. It’s one of those recipes where you have to stand there and stir over a flame for about 20 or 30 minutes. It’s a labor of love, but it’s also a lesson in patience. To have the patience not to scoop out scalding spoonfuls into your mouth because the heavy scent of cardamom is so powerful you have to succumb to it. Maybe it’s just me, but a dish with a nice balance of cardamom is never a let down.
That idea I found is also true in cocktails.
It’s been awhile since I’ve worked on tinctures and this one has been in my “to make” pile for awhile. I made a small batch for you all since a little goes a long way, and if this is for your home bar, quite frankly I wouldn’t want you to end up with more than you could ever use.
Cardamom goes wonderfully with a London Dry style gin and pairs well with lots of citrus. However, it also works great with flavors like coconut and pear. You can use this tincture to add just a few drops to a cocktail, or sprayed over it to give another aroma to your drink experience. 
This tincture is pretty easy to assemble, it just takes a few days to brew.
1/2 cup grain alcohol
1/3 cup green cardamom pods, slightly cracked (you can use a mortar and pestle to do this easily)
In an airtight container (mason jars with lids work great) combine alcohol and cardamom pods. Swirl to combine and leave in a cool, dark place for 6 days. After 6 days, strain out solids using a fine strainer and cheesecloth. Store in a airtight jar. Flavor will last up to a year.
The aroma the tincture imparts is an intense cardamom smell that has sweet, floral notes. Looking for a recipe to go along with this? Stay tuned! One coming up this week.
I’ve always wanted to know how to make a tincture, thanks! I made an allspice dram once, and it had such a transformative effect on cocktails, I would imagine this does as well. Can’t wait to give it a try.
Allspice dram is amazing, but yes, a little goes a very long way. This isn’t as powerful, but it’s still awesome.
One of my absolute favorite spices. Thank you for this – will be doing soon.
It’s SO good! Hope you enjoy it!
Can’t wait to see what you do with it. GREG
Can vodka be used as the grain alcohol?
Yes! A high proof vodka would work best but you could also use a regular strength as well.
If I can only find decorticated seeds, how much do I use and do I do anything differently?
Ah! Good question. I would use about a 1/4 cup of the seeds, and toast them for a few minutes in a dry pan. Then cover with the grain alcohol and let sit. I’ve also updated the recipe to include a link to the pods!