Coriander (Coriandrum sativum), also
called cilantro or dhania, 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. While in the English-speaking
world (except for the U.S.) the leaves and seeds are known as coriander, in American culinary usage the
leaves are generally referred to by the Spanish word cilantro.
First attested in English late 14th century, the word
coriander derives from the Old French coriandre, which comes from Latin coriandrum, in turn from Greek κορίαννον (koriannon). The earliest attested form of the
word is the Mycenaean Greek ko-ri-ja-da-na (written in Linear Bsyllabic script, reconstructed as koriadnon), similar to the name of Minos'
daughter Ariadne, and it is plain how this might
later evolve tokoriannon 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 South Asian, Middle Eastern, Central Asian, Mediterranean, Indian, Tex-Mex, Latin American, Portuguese, Chinese, African, andScandinavian cuisine.
Coriander
leaves, raw
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Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
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Energy
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95 kJ
(23 kcal)
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Carbohydrates
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4 g
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- Dietary fiber
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3 g
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Fat
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0.5 g
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Protein
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2 g
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Vitamin A equiv.
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337 μg
(42%)
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Vitamin C
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27 mg
(33%)
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Percentages are relative to US recommendationsfor
adults.
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Leaves
The leaves are variously referred to as coriander
leaves, fresh coriander, Chinese parsley, or cilantro (in America, from the Spanish name
for the plant).
It should not be confused with culantro (Eryngium foetidum L.) which is a close relative to
coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) but has a distinctly different appearance, a much
more potent volatile leaf oil and a stronger smell.
The leaves have a different taste from the seeds, with citrus overtones. Many experience 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). There appears to be a genetic component to the detection
of "soapy" versus "herby" tastes.
The fresh leaves are an ingredient in many South Asian
foods (such as chutneys and salads), in Chinese dishes, in Mexican cooking,
particularly in salsa and guacamole and as a garnish, and in salads in Russia and other CIS countries. Chopped coriander leaves
are a garnish on Indian dishes such as dal. As heat diminishes their flavor, 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.
Fruit
The dry fruits are known as coriander or coriandi seeds. In India they are called dhania. The word "coriander" in
food preparation may refer solely to these seeds (as a spice), rather than to
the plant. 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.
The variety C. s. vulgare or macrocarpum has a fruit diameter of 3–5 mm,
while var. microcarpumfruits have a diameter of 1.5–3 mm. Large-fruited
types are grown mainly by tropical and subtropical countries, e.g. Morocco,
India and Australia, and contain a low volatile oil content (0.1-0.4%). They
are used extensively for grinding and blending purposes in the spice trade.
Types with smaller fruit are produced in temperate regions and usually have a
volatile oil content of around 0.4-1.8%, and are therefore highly valued as a
raw material for the preparation of essential oil.
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 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 inEuropean 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.
Roots
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.
Coriander grows wild over a wide area of the Near East
and southern Europe, prompting the comment, "It is hard to define exactly
where this plant is wild and where it only recently established itself." Fifteen desiccated mericarps were found in the Pre-Pottery
Neolithic B level of the Nahal Hemel
Cave in Israel, which may be the oldest archeological
find of coriander. About half a litre of coriander mericarps were recovered
from the tomb of Tutankhamen, and because this plant does not
grow wild in Egypt, Zohary and Hopf interpret this find as proof that coriander
was cultivated by the ancient Egyptians.
Coriander seems to have been cultivated in Greece
since at least the second millennium BC. One of the Linear B tablets recovered from Pylos refers to the species as being cultivated for the
manufacture of perfumes, and it appears that it was used in two forms: as a
spice for its seeds and as a herb for the flavor of its leaves. This appears to be confirmed by
archaeological evidence from the same period: the large quantities of the
species retrieved from an Early Bronze Age layer at Sitagroi in Macedonia could point to cultivation of the
species at that time.
Coriander was brought to the British colonies in North
America in 1670, and was one of the first spices cultivated by early settlers.
These herbs are used where they grow in much the same
way as coriander is used.
§
Eryngium foetidum has a similar taste and is known as culantro, and is found in Mexico, South
America and the Caribbean.
§
Persicaria odorata is commonly called Vietnamese coriander, or rau răm. The leaves have a similar odour
and flavour to coriander. It is a member of the Polygonaceae, or buckwheat
family.
§
Papaloquelite is one common name for Porophyllum ruderale subsp. macrocephalum, a member of the Compositae or Asteraceae, the sunflower family. This species
is found growing wild from Texas to Argentina.
Coriander, like many spices, contains antioxidants, which can delay or prevent the
spoilage of food seasoned with this spice. A study found both the leaves and
seed to contain antioxidants, but the leaves were found to have a stronger
effect.
Chemicals derived from coriander leaves were found to
have antibacterial activity against Salmonella
choleraesuis, and this activity was found to be caused in part by these chemicals
acting as nonionic surfactants.
Coriander has been used as a folk medicine for the relief of anxiety and insomnia in Iran.
Experiments in mice support its use as an anxiolytic. Coriander seeds are used in
traditional Indian medicine as a diuretic by boiling equal amounts of
coriander seeds and cumin seeds, then cooling and consuming the resulting
liquid. In holistic and traditional medicine, it is used as a carminative and as a digestive aid.
Coriander has been documented as a traditional
treatment for diabetes. A study on mice found coriander
extract had both insulin-releasing and insulin-like activity.
Coriander seeds were found in a study on rats to have
a significant hypolipidemic effect, resulting in lowering of levels of total cholesterol and triglycerides, and increasing levels of high-density
lipoprotein. This effect appeared to be caused by increasing
synthesis of bile by the liver and increasing the breakdown of
cholesterol into other compounds.
Coriander can produce an allergic reaction in some people.
Source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coriander
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