I prefer to use freshly grounded cardamon as it's a lot more aromatic than pre-ground cardamon. For the amount we use in the recipe, you will need about three tablespoon of green cardamon pods. Crush the cardamon pods first and take the seeds out before grinding the seeds in the spice grinder or food processor. The grind doesn't need to be very fine, but you also don't want to bite into hard bits when you're enjoy the buns.