Cardamom Spritz — The Spice She Carried Into Kindergarten

Anaya's first day of kindergarten at J.P. Stevens Elementary. She wore the red apron over her school clothes (I talked her out of it — "You can wear it after school, kanna") and carried a lunchbox containing: puliyodarai, a banana (with cardamom powder in a tiny container because this child will not eat plain banana), and a note from me that said: 'Be brave. Be kind. Come home hungry.' I dropped her off. I stood at the entrance — the same entrance, the same door — and watched her walk in, and the thirty years between my kindergarten and hers collapsed into a single moment. She turned at the door. 'Bye, Amma!' 'Bye, kanna.' 'I'll tell them about the tamarind rice!' She'll tell them. The ambassador of puliyodarai, age six, walking into a school where her mother once ate the same food and was embarrassed by it and now sends it with pride. I cried in the car. The tradition. Rohan, three, started at the full-day Montessori. His teacher, Ms. Kim, has been briefed on the ADHD. Structure, routine, positive reinforcement. He walked in and went straight to the kitchen area. Because: Krishnamurthy. I made sambar that night — the Sunday version, on a Monday, because the children starting school is a Sunday-level event regardless of the calendar.

I couldn’t send puliyodarai home with you through a screen, but I keep thinking about that tiny container of cardamom powder — the one tucked next to Anaya’s banana, the detail that made me laugh and cry at the same time, because of course this child requires cardamom on her fruit. That evening, after the sambar, after both kids were finally asleep, I made myself a cardamom spritz: fizzy, faintly floral, just sweet enough, the kind of thing you drink quietly at the kitchen counter when the milestone of the day has settled into your chest and you want to taste something that smells like home.

Cardamom Spritz

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 5 minutes | Total Time: 15 minutes | Servings: 2

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon rose water (optional, but lovely)
• 1 1/2 cups chilled sparkling water or club soda
• Ice, for serving
• Lemon slices and a pinch of cardamom, to garnish

Instructions

1. Make the cardamom simple syrup. Combine the water, sugar, and ground cardamom in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar is fully dissolved, about 3–4 minutes. Do not boil. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.
2. Strain the syrup. Pour the cooled syrup through a fine-mesh strainer into a small jar or pitcher to remove any coarse cardamom bits. Stir in the lemon juice and rose water, if using.
3. Assemble the spritz. Fill two glasses with ice. Add 2–3 tablespoons of the cardamom syrup to each glass (adjust to taste — the syrup keeps in the fridge for up to two weeks). Top each glass with 3/4 cup sparkling water and stir gently.
4. Garnish and serve. Add a lemon slice to each glass and dust lightly with a pinch of ground cardamom. Serve immediately.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 105 | Protein: 0g | Fat: 0g | Carbs: 27g | Fiber: 0g | Sodium: 10mg