Green cardamom is notoriously difficult to farm organically: the flowering is especially vulnerable to weather changes and the fruits are beloved by pests – which is why most farmers use chemical pesticides while growing it. But the few that persist with organic means, like our partner Abraham Chacko, grow a far superior crop.

Baraka is a wild variety of cardamom grown on the Chacko family estate in Udumbanchola, Kerala. It produces pale green pods that are relatively small in size, but significantly richer in flavor, with a lingering fragrance so heady, it perfumes the room.

Much of the cardamom available today is adulterated to extend shelf life, or dyed to give the pods a vibrant green color. The Chackos, in contrast, process their cardamom minimally. After the pods are picked, hand-sorted, and dried to remove moisture and concentrate their sweet, floral nature.

Abraham Chacko has been farming for 20 years now, and follows a mix of biodynamic and low-budget farming methods that prioritize flavor by tending to the well-being of the ecosystem. Their buzzing family estate has cardamom growing alongside pepper vines, coffee bushes, and lots of wild greens, butterflies, and bees.