This versatile plant is prized for both its leaves and its seeds. Gardeners enjoy growing coriander because it is among the easiest herbs to grow. Cooking with coriander adds a dash of exotic flavor to many Latin, Asian and Indian dishes.

 

 

A member of the carrot family, coriander causes some confusion among cooks and gardeners. It is known by different names in different regions. The leaves and the plant itself are referred to as cilantro in North and South America. However, it is also called Mexican parsley, Chinese parsley and coriander (it is, however, not a parsley). The seeds of this plant are typically called coriander. They are used as a spice.

 

The popular name of this herb is derived from the generic, which comes from the ancient Greek Koris, a kind of bug. This naming alludes to the disagreeable odor of the foliage and other green parts. The specific name refers to its cultivation in gardens. Hence the scientific name declares it to be the "cultivated buggy-smelling plant."

 

One of the oldest-known spices, coriander has been grown for so long that its land of origin is unknown (it is suspected to be a native of southern Europe or China). It has been used in cooking and, naturally, medicine. According to ancient reasoning, anything with such an unpleasant odor must possess curative powers.

 

Coriander seeds have been found in Egyptian tombs of the 21st dynasty. Prior to the Norman Conquest in 1066, the plant was well-known in Great Britain, probably having been taken there by the early Roman conquerors. It was introduced into Massachusetts by 1670.

 

From a cluster of slightly divided radical leaves, coriander's branching stems rise to heights of two to two and a half feet. Toward their summits they bear much divided leaves, with linear segments and small whitish flowers, followed by pairs of united, hemispherical, brownish-yellow, deeply furrowed seeds. These retain their vitality for five or six years. The coriander seeds do not have the unpleasant odor of the plant but have a rather agreeable smell and a moderately warm, pungent taste.

Growing coriander proves to be rather effortless. Coriander does best in a rather light, warm, friable soil. The seed is often sown in the autumn, though spring sowing is perhaps in more favor. The rows are made about 15 inches apart, the seeds dropped one inch asunder and 1/2 inch deep and the plantlets thinned to six or eight inches.

 

Since the plants run to seed quickly, they must be watched and cut early to prevent loss and consequent seeding of the ground. After curing in the shade the seed is threshed. On favorable land the yield may reach or even exceed 1,500 pounds to the acre.

The taste of cilantro is definitely strong but is enjoyed by many, especially in Latin dishes. It is most familiar in salsas. Dried cilantro is available, but the flavor and aroma are mostly lost in the drying process. When cooking with cilantro, it should be added at the last minute to retain full flavor.

 

For full flavor, coriander seeds are typically toasted before they are ground up. Coriander is used largely in making various kinds of confectionery, for adding to bread and, especially in the East, as an ingredient in curry powder and other condiments.

 

 

Kains, M.G. (2007). Project Gutenberg eBook of Culinary Herbs: Their Cultivation, Harvesting, Curing and Uses. Retrieved March 28, 2008, from the Project Gutenberg Web site: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/21414/21414-h/21414-h.htm.