iliki

How to say it

Meaning

A spice made from the small green seed pods of a plant of the ginger family, used in tea, coffee, pilau and sweets.

Good to know

N class noun with no plural. Chai ya iliki is tea spiced with cardamom; it is sold with karafuu (cloves) and mdalasini (cinnamon).

Examples

• Mama huweka iliki kwenye chai ya asubuhi.Mom puts cardamom in the morning tea.
• Harufu ya iliki ilijaa jikoni.The smell of cardamom filled the kitchen.
• Wakulima wa Tanga wanalima iliki kwa ajili ya kuuza.Farmers in Tanga grow cardamom for sale.