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Coriander (Coriandrum sativum) is an annual herb in
the family Apiaceae. Coriander is
native to southern Europe and North Africa to southwestern Asia. It is a soft,
hairless plant growing to 50 centimetres (20 in) 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, with the
petals pointing away from the center of the umbel longer (5–6 mm) than those
pointing towards it (only 1–3 mm long). The fruit is a globular dry schizocarp 3–5 mm diameter.
The word derives from German “coriandrum” in turn from Greek “κορίαννον”.
The Mycenaean Greek
form of the word, koriadnon is "similar to the name of Minos' daughter Ariadne, and it is plain how this might later
evolve to koriannon or koriandron."
All parts of the plant are edible, but the fresh leaves and the dried seeds
are the parts most commonly used in cooking. Coriander is common in Middle
Eastern, Central Asian, Mediterranean, Indian, South Asian, Mexican, Texan, Latin American, Chinese, African
and Southeast Asian cuisine.
The leaves are variously referred to as coriander leaves, Chinese
parsley, cilantro (in the Americas, from the Spanish for the plant),
culantro (in some regions of Latin America; confusingly, this is also a
common name for Eryngium foetidum).
The leaves have a different taste from the seeds, with citrus overtones. Some perceive an unpleasant "soapy"
taste or a rank smell and avoid the leaves. The flavours have
also been compared to those of the stink bug, and similar chemical groups are
involved (aldehydes). Belief that aversion is genetically determined may arise
from the known genetic variation in taste perception of the synthetic
chemical phenylthiocarbamide; however, no specific
link has been established between coriander and a bitter taste perception
gene.
The fresh leaves are an ingredient in many South Asian foods (particularly chutneys), in Chinese dishes and in
Mexican dishes, particularly in salsa and guacamole and as a garnish. Chopped coriander leaves
are a garnish on cooked dishes such as dal and
curries. As heat diminishes their flavor
quickly, coriander leaves are often used raw or added to the dish immediately
before serving. In Indian and Central Asian recipes, coriander leaves are used
in large amounts and cooked until the flavor diminishes. The leaves spoil quickly when removed from the plant, and lose their aroma when
dried or frozen.
Coriander leaves were formerly common in European cuisine.Today
western Europeans usually eat coriander leaves only in dishes that originated in
foreign cuisines, except in Portugal, where they are still an ingredient in
traditional dishes.
The dry fruits are known as coriander seeds or coriandi seeds.
The word coriander in food preparation may refer solely to these seeds
(as a spice), rather than to the plant itself. The seeds have a lemony citrus
flavour when crushed, due to terpenes
linalool and pinene. It is described as warm, nutty, spicy, and
orange-flavored.
It is commonly found both as whole dried seeds and in ground form. Seeds can
be roasted or heated on a dry pan briefly before grinding to enhance and alter
the aroma. Ground coriander seed loses flavor quickly in storage and is best
ground fresh.
Coriander seed is a spice (Hindi name:
धनिया dhania), in garam
masala and Indian curries, which often employ the ground
fruits in generous amounts together with cumin. It acts as a thickener. Roasted coriander seeds,
called dhana dal, are eaten as a snack. It is the main ingredient of the
two south Indian dishes: sambhar and rasam. Coriander seeds are boiled with water and
drunk as indigenous medicine for colds.
Outside of Asia, coriander seed is used for pickling vegetables, and making sausages in Germany
and South Africa (see boerewors).
In Russia and Central Europe coriander seed is an occasional ingredient in rye bread as an alternative to caraway. Coriander seeds are used in European cuisine
today, though they were more important in former centuries.
Coriander seeds are used in brewing certain styles of beer, particularly some
Belgian wheat
beers.
The coriander seeds
are used with orange peel to add a citrus character.
Coriander roots have a deeper, more intense flavor than the leaves. They are
used in a variety of Asian cuisines. They are commonly used in Thai dishes,
including soups and curry pastes.
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