Elaichi in English is cardamom. Green elaichi, also written ilaichi or velchi, is the dried pod of Elettaria cardamomum, a fragrant spice from the ginger family. It is used whole or ground in chai, sweets and biryani, and valued for its sweet, floral aroma.
Most people searching this are trying to match a recipe, a spice-shop label or a grandmother's instruction to the right ingredient. If a recipe says elaichi, ilaichi or velchi, it almost always means green cardamom pods. This page explains the names, the two main types, how to use the spice and how to buy it.
Elaichi meaning in English
Elaichi is the Hindi name for cardamom. The botanical name of the green kind is Elettaria cardamomum, sometimes called "true cardamom". The plant is a perennial herb related to ginger and turmeric, and it is native to the Western Ghats of southern India. We use the pods, which hold small dark seeds that carry most of the aroma.
The spice has long been part of Indian cooking and is also widely used in Middle Eastern and Scandinavian baking. Its flavour is sweet, floral and slightly cooling, which is why a single pod can change a cup of tea. Cardamom is often called the queen of spices, and it is grown in parts of Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu in India, as well as in a few other tropical countries. The plant likes shade, humidity and steady rain, so hill areas suit it best.
Elaichi names in Indian languages
The same spice goes by many names across India. If you are reading a regional recipe or ordering online, this list helps.
| Language | Name |
|---|---|
| English | Cardamom, green cardamom |
| Hindi | Elaichi, ilaichi, hari elaichi |
| Marathi | Velchi, velachi |
| Kannada | Elakki |
| Tamil and Malayalam | Elakkai, elam |
| Telugu | Elakulu |
| Bengali | Elach |
| Botanical | Elettaria cardamomum |
All of these refer to the green pod unless the recipe says otherwise. If it says "badi elaichi" or "kali elaichi", it means black cardamom, which is a different spice.
Green vs black cardamom
Both belong to the ginger family, but they are different plants with different jobs in the kitchen.
| Green cardamom (elaichi) | Black cardamom (badi elaichi) | |
|---|---|---|
| Colour and size | Small, pale green pods | Larger, dark brown, wrinkled pods |
| Flavour | Sweet, floral, citrusy | Smoky, camphor-like |
| Typical use | Chai, kheer, halwa, biryani, baking | Meat curries, pulao, garam masala |
Do not swap them one for one. Black cardamom in a dessert will taste out of place, and green cardamom in a smoky curry will taste faint.
How to use elaichi
A little goes a long way. Crack the pod, use the seeds, and keep the husk for tea if you like.
- Chai: crush one or two pods and boil with the tea leaves and milk.
- Sweets: ground seeds go into kheer, shrikhand, halwa, laddoo and gulab jamun syrup.
- Rice dishes: add whole pods to biryani, pulao and plain basmati for aroma. Pair with star anise, cloves and cinnamon.
- Baking: cakes, cookies and breads take well to a pinch of ground seeds.
- After meals: many Indian families chew a pod or two as a mouth freshener, often with fennel seeds (saunf).
For freshest flavour, buy whole pods and grind the seeds just before use. Pre-ground powder loses aroma faster. Other whole spices we sell that work well in the same dishes include nutmeg and black pepper.
A simple elaichi chai
For two cups, crush two green pods lightly so the husk splits. Boil them in a cup of water for a minute or two, add tea leaves, then add a cup of milk and sugar to taste and simmer until the colour deepens. Strain and serve. Adjust the pods to taste, since the strength of cardamom varies with how fresh it is.
How much to add
As a starting point, use one to two pods for a pot of tea, three to four pods for a pot of rice that serves four, and about a quarter teaspoon of ground seeds for a cake or a bowl of kheer. These are cooking amounts, not health advice, and you can raise or lower them to taste.
Nutrition and cautions
Food databases list cardamom at about 300 kcal per 100 g, mostly carbohydrate and fibre. That number matters little in practice, because a recipe uses a pod or a pinch, which is a fraction of a gram to about two grams. As a flavouring it adds almost no calories.
Cardamom is traditionally used in Indian homes after meals and in Ayurveda, but we do not make medical claims for it. For most people, normal culinary amounts are fine. People who are allergic to spices should avoid it. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, take regular medication or have a medical condition, ask your doctor or dietitian before using cardamom in larger amounts, such as in teas or supplements.
Buying and storing elaichi
We sell green cardamom (elaichi) on AlphonsoMango.in. We are run by Powle Home Foods in Mumbai and have served 47,000+ customers across online, offline and marketplace sales. When you buy any whole cardamom, check these points:
- Colour: a green pod, not pale yellow or brown, usually means fresher stock.
- Aroma: crush one pod. A strong, sweet scent is a good sign; a dull smell means old stock.
- Pod size: larger pods are graded higher and cost more. Size does not by itself decide flavour.
- Husk and seeds: plump, closed pods with dark, sticky seeds inside are better than hollow ones.
Store pods in an airtight glass or steel jar, away from heat, light and moisture. Stored well, whole pods keep their aroma for many months. Ground cardamom fades sooner, so grind in small batches.
What affects elaichi price
Cardamom is one of the costlier spices, and the price changes through the year. Several things move it: pod size and grade, the harvest and crop in a given year, colour, moisture, the pack size and how the pods are sorted. Market rates differ by city and shop, so a rate quoted in one place rarely holds in another. We do not quote a rate here for that reason. Check the product page for the current price and pack sizes.
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People also ask
What is elaichi called in English?
Elaichi is called cardamom in English. The green kind, Elettaria cardamomum, is also known as true cardamom or green cardamom. Elaichi is written ilaichi or ilayachi in some places, and velchi in Marathi. All of these names point to the same fragrant pod from the ginger family.
Are elaichi and cardamom the same?
Yes. Elaichi is the Hindi name for green cardamom, so the two are the same spice. Black cardamom, called badi elaichi, is a different plant with a smoky flavour. If a recipe says only elaichi, use green cardamom pods or the seeds from them.
What is velchi in English?
Velchi, also spelled velachi, is the Marathi name for cardamom. In English it is simply cardamom, and the green pod used for tea, sweets and rice dishes is green cardamom. In Maharashtra you will see the word on spice labels and in recipes.
Can we eat elaichi daily?
Many people eat a pod or two of elaichi daily as a mouth freshener or in tea, and in cooking amounts it is generally considered fine. People with spice allergies should avoid it. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding or on medication, ask your doctor or dietitian before using it often or in larger amounts.
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Written by Prashant Powle, founder of AlphonsoMango.in. Last reviewed October 2026.