George Joseph / Chennai/ Kochi Aug 17, 2012, 00:07 IST
Cardamom growers of Idukki district in Kerala have urged the Union government to opt for the open market system instead of auction trading.
A section of the growers in a recent meeting also wanted floor price for cardamom as the market was depreciating. The average price now is Rs 750 a kg from 900 during March-April.
According to growers, fresh supply dropped 50 per cent in the beginning of the current season as bad weather affected plantations. Extreme summer and later poor monsoon damaged the plants widely across the district, which accounts for around 60 per cent of the production.
The price is being decided by only a handful of traders at the auction centres, said a Kattappana-based grower, adding they had to sell according to this price. In most cases, traders collect cardamom from farmers at lower than the average price in the auction. Traders who have the licence from the Spices Board can participate in the auction. As there is no open market sale for the spice in the producing centres, farmers have to depend on these traders and the prices quoted at the auction centres.
Reji Njallani, president, Human Rights Protection Council for Farmers, a newly-formed association of various crop farmers, told Business Standard they were finding it difficult to carry on with the cultivation as the per kg cost of production comes to around Rs 800. Moreover, rise in wages and labour shortage have hit them hard. Though the average daily wage for plantation workers has increased to Rs 400, they still could not employ easily as their number is less compared with the demand. Crops like cardamom and pepper are highly labour-intensive.
He said shifting to the open market system could ensure a price range of Rs 1,500-2,500 a kg for cardamom. India produces 13,000 tonnes annually but this time it would be below 9,000 tonnes. The shortage, however, is not yet reflected on the price line because of the auction system.
There is good demand for cardamom in the global market as Guatemala, the world’s largest producer, is selling around 25,000 tonnes annually. Exports from India was 1,175 tonnes in 2010-11 and at an all-time high of 4,650 tonnes in 2011-12, according to the Spices Board.
Though there is good demand, India is not able to exploit the overseas market, said farmers. Due to the growth in global demand, a number of African countries like Nigeria and Ethiopia have started cultivating cardamom in a big way.
Serves 6
Ingredients for Cake:
•1 Cup Cake Flour
•14 Tbsp Powdered Sugar/Confectioners’ sugar, divided in to 2 equal parts
•1 ½ Tsp Baking Powder
•1 Pinch Table/Fine Salt
•3 Eggs, separated
•6 Tbsp Water
•¼ Cup Vegetable Oil
•Seeds from 1 Green Cardamom Pod, crushed
•Cooking Spray
•All-Purpose Flour for Dusting
Ingredients for Rose Frosting:
•1 Cups Heavy Whipping Cream
•7 Tbsp Powdered Sugar/Confectioners’ sugar
•1 ½ Tbsp Edible Rose Water
•Pink Food Color
Method for Cake:
1. Preheat oven to 325°F.
2. Sift together flour, baking powder, salt and 7 tablespoons of powdered sugar. Set aside.
3. Using the paddle attachment, start beating the egg yolks in a bowl.
4. While beating the eggs, very slowly add water. Combine well.
5. Now slowly add the oil to create an emulsion (smooth consistency).
6. Add the sifted flour mixture in several batches to form a smooth batter.
7. Add the cardamom seeds. Mix for another ten-fifteen seconds. Set aside.
8. In a separate bowl, start beating egg whites while gradually adding seven tablespoons of powdered sugar.
9. Beat until this mixture forms peaks and triples in volume.
10. Gently, fold the egg whites into the egg yolk and flour batter. Do this in three batches and do not over mix.
11. Pour the batter on to a 12” x 16” baking sheet, which has been coated with cooking spray and dusted with all-purpose flour.
12. Place this tray on the top rack of the preheated oven.
13. Bake until the cake tester comes out clean. It should take about ten to fifteen minutes, depending on the oven.
14. When the cake is baked, take the baking sheet out of the oven and place it on a cooling rack. Bring to room temperature.
15. Using a 3-inch cookie cutter cut 12 circles out of the cake sheet. Set them aside.
Method for Rose Frosting:
1. Start beating 1 Cup heavy whipping cream in a mixer bowl, using a whisk attachment.
2. Once frothy, gradually add the powdered sugar.
3. Once the sugar is combined, add the food color with the help of a toothpick.
4. Add the rose water.
5. Continue beating until it triples in volume and forms peaks.
6. Place the frosting in a zip lock bag. Seal the bag to remove air. Push the frosting to one corner and snip that corner of the bag.
Once, you have the frosting ready and the cake cooled, its time to get creative!
Assembling:
1. Place one cake circle at the bottom of a glass bowl.
2. Pipe the prepared frosting to cover this cake circle.
3. Place another cake circle on top of this frosting and repeat part 2.
4. Garnish with pistachios and rose petals.
Tips:
1. Frosting and the cake can be prepared a day ahead.
2. The cake recipe can be used for making cupcakes also.
3. It is important to be very slow while adding water and oil to the egg yolks.
- Recipe in Description
Serves: 4
Notes:
One of my favourite ways of dealing with whole fish. It is steamed over a spicy ginger liquor, which then becomes a tasty sauce.
Ingredients:
1 whole fish (coral trout, snapper) about 1.5kg, cleaned and scaled
2 tsp turmeric
1×5cm piece of ginger, crushed
Peel and juice of an orange
750ml fish or chicken stock
500ml water
1 Tbsp reduced salt soya sauce
3 cardamom pods
1 tsp chopped or minced ginger
1 Tbsp spring onion white part, chopped
1 Tbsp spring onion green part, chopped
2 Tbsp capsicum cut into thin strips
1 Tbsp peanuts
1 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp peanut butter
2 Tbsp coconut milk (optional)
1 tsp minced chilli
Method:
Cut a few slashes in the fish on each side. Place in plastic bag with turmeric, shaking bag to spread the turmeric evenly. Insert fish in the bag shake to cover fish with turmeric. Remove from the bag. Place the ginger and orange peel inside the body cavity. In a wok wide enough to take the fish, put the stock, water, soya sauce, cardamom pods and minced ginger. Put chopsticks across the wok to hold the fish -- or you could use a wire rack. Place the fish on the chopsticks or rack. Cover with lid or aluminium foil. Steam for around 30 to 40 minutes. Remember to allow longer if the fish has come directly out of the refrigerator. Check fish is cooked by inserting a knife into the flesh, which should come away from the bone. When cooked, remove fish from the wok and put in warm place. Remove rack, add orange juice and chilli to the steaming liquor and allow to reduce to a third of its volume. Stir in the peanut butter and coconut milk, if using. Do not allow the mixture to boil once coconut milk is added. Briefly fry white part of spring onions, capsicum and peanuts in the sesame oil. Serve fish with the sauce, garnished with green parts of spring onion. Leftover potential: Best eaten immediately or cold on same day. When cooked, remove fish from the wok and put in warm place. Remove rack; add orange juice and chilli to the steaming fish.
Press Trust of India / New Delhi Aug 10, 2012, 11:50 IST
Buoyed by the rising demand in the spot market, cardamom prices rose by Rs 22 to Rs 1,222.30 per kg in futures trade today as speculators created fresh positions.
At the Multi Commodity Exchange, cardamom for delivery in September rose by Rs 22, or 1.83%, to Rs 1,222.30 per kg in a business turnover of 332 lots.
August cardamom gained Rs 6.30, or 0.55%, to Rs 1,160 per kg in 71 lots.
Analysts attributed rise in cardamom at futures trade to fresh positions created by speculators, triggered by the pick up in demand at the spot market.
