Spice Nest
What follows is a Spice Nest article that looks at the spice Coriander and some of its uses.
Coriander
Coriander (Coriandrum sativum) is an annual, umbelliferous plant that is indigenous to southern Europe, although it can be found as far north as Britain and now grows all over the world. Both the fruits (seeds) and the leaves can be used in cooking, the former known as a spice and one of the major constituents of curry dishes. The latter is used as a herb also in curries, as well as aromatic Arabic dishes, stews and salads.
In Indian cooking, coriander seeds (known in Hindi as dhania) are used lavishly in order to add their aromatic and flavoursome qualities to the dish. They are most often crushed or ground into a powder to be mixed with other spices, especially cumin, to form what is commonly known as "curry powder" and also the flavouring "garam masala". The seeds have a slightly lemony, citrus-like flavour when crushed. This is due to the presence of the terpenes linalool and pinene. In India, the roasted coriander seeds are also known as called dhana dal, where they are eaten as a snack. Coriander is also the main ingredient of two popular gravies produced in southern India, known as sambhar and rasam.
The seeds can also be roasted or fried whole and then crushed in a grinder or mortar and pestle. The coriander powder quickly loses its aroma and flavour so is best not stored, but used freshly crushed every time. They act as a digestive and aid the digestion of the often spicy foods they are added to.
In Spanish speaking countries, the leaves are known as the herb "cilantro" and this is used extensively in many hot, spicy dishes as well as soups and stews.
In Germany and South Africa (boerewors), coriander seeds are used in sausage making. In Russia and some eastern European countries, the seeds are used in making rye breads and in Belgium coriander seeds are mixed with orange peel and used in brewing some of their speciality wheat beers.
Footnote: If coriander seeds are used too freely or in too great a quantity they can actually become narcotic, so some caution is recommended in their use.
Janice White
Spice Nest
