Left to right: Cardamom pods and Cardamom powder.

I only bought Cardamom powder only once, when i added it to my pilau, i did not taste any cardamom at all. Recipes like Pilau and Tea masala and many more depends a lot on the taste and aroma of cardamom. If your cardamom taste like something else and does not have that nice sweet like smell, then your recipe will not be the same. The only way to have the real cardamom flavor and aroma is to ground your own at home. Store it in a very tight container to keep  fresh.