Cilantro Coriander - Chinese Parsley - Coriandrum Sativum

Cilantro, Coriander and Chinese Parsley are all common names for Coriandrum Sativum. Cilantro Coriander is an important culinary herb. The leaves, roots and seeds of Cilantro Coriander are used extensively in Asian cooking and as a garnish. The leaves of Cilantro Coriander have a distinctly different flavour from the seeds so they can not be substituted for each other. What we refer to as seeds are in actual fact the dried fruit of Coriandrum sativum. The seeds are normally ground into a powder for culinary use and are often roasted before grinding as this enhances the flavour. Ground Coriander has a very short shelf life so should always be freshly prepared.

Whilst Asians love this herb, oddly enough many Westerners find the taste unpleasant. Some people have suggested that this love/hate of Cilantro Coriander is due to genetic differences in taste perception. In most of Europe, this herb is called Coriander, the name taken from the Latin but in the Americas it is Cilantro, which comes from the Spanish name, Culantro. Coriander seeds are a main ingredient in Indian curries and spice masalas including Garam masala and Kopan masala.

Cilantro Coriander leaves contain substantial amounts of Vitamin K. In conventional medicine, Cilantro Coriander is used in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. In traditional medicine, Coriander seeds are boiled in water which is then drunk to relieve colds.
It has been known for some people to have an allergic reaction when handling Cilantro Coriander.