Ingredient: Coriander leaves
Category: Herbs, Spices & Seasoning
Season: All
Coriander, Coriandrum sativum, also commonly called cilantro, is an annual herb in the family Apiaceae. Coriander is native to southwestern Asia and west to north Africa.
It is a soft, hairless plant growing to 50 cm (20 inches) tall. The leaves are variable in shape, broadly lobed at the base of the plant, and slender and feathery higher on the flowering stems.
The flowers are borne in small umbels, white or very pale pink, asymmetrical, and with the petals that point away from the centre of the umbel being longer (5-6 mm) than those pointing to the middle of the umbel (only 1-3 mm long). The fruit is a globular dry schizocarp 3-5 mm diameter
Leaves and stems
The leaves are variously referred to as coriander leaves; cilantro in the United States, from the Spanish name for the plant; dhania in the Indian subcontinent.
The leaves, and especially the stems, have a very different taste from the seeds, similar to parsley but "juicier" and with citrus-like overtones.
Some people instead perceive an unpleasant "soapy" taste and/or a rank smell. This is believed to be a result of an enzyme that changes the way they taste coriander leaves, a genetic trait, but has yet to be fully researched.
The fresh leaves and stems are an essential ingredient in many Vietnamese foods, Asian chutneys, Mexican salsas and guacamole, and occasionally is used in sushi rolls.
Chopped coriander leaves are also used as a garnish on cooked dishes such as dal and many curries.
As heat diminishes their flavour quickly, coriander leaves are often used raw or added to the dish right before serving.
In some Indian and Central Asian recipes, coriander leaves are used in huge amounts and cooked till they dissolve into sauce and their flavour mellows.
Another factor that dictates the quality of flavour is the time when coriander is harvested.
If its roots consistently stay at a temperature above 75 degrees Fahrenheit, the herb will quickly bolt, causing its leaves and stems to yield a bitter flavour and become quite chewy.
At this point, made evident by the thinner and finer leaves, it is practical to harvest only the coriander seeds, since the stems and leaves are no longer a usable with food.
Fresh coriander has a peculiar effect on people: they often begin by not liking it much at all and end up being totally addicted to it – so please do not give up too early.
The flavour of fresh coriander is quite reminiscent of the crushed coriander seeds we are more familiar with, it is so much stronger and more pungent, so a little goes a long way.
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