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Cilantro - pronounced [sih-LAHN-troh]
This member of the carrot family is also referred to as Chinese Parsley and
Coriander. It is actually the leaves (and stems) of the Coriander plant. Cilantro
has a very pungent odor and is widely used in Mexican, Caribbean and Asian cooking.
The Cilantro leaves look a bit like flat Italian parsley and in fact are related.
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History
and Lore
Coriander grows wild in South East
Europe and had been cultivated in Egypt, India and China for thousands of years. It is
mentioned in Sanskrit text and the Bible Spanish conquistadors introduced it to Mexico and
Peru where it now commonly paired with chilies in the local cuisine. It has since
become very popular in the Southwest and Western part of the United States as well as in
most metropolitan areas. An interesting note is that people of European descent
frequently are reviled by the smell of cilantro. It has not gained in popularity in
Europe as it has in many other parts of the world.
Coriander is believed to be named after "koris", the Greek word for
"bedbug" as it was said they both emitted a similar odor. The Chinese used the
herb in love potions believing it provided immortality. Coriander is one of the
herbs thought to have aphrodisiac
qualities. The book of The Arabian nights tells a tale of a merchant who had been
childless for 40 years and but was cured by a concoction that included coriander.
That book is over 1000 years old so the history of coriander as an aphrodisiac dates back
far into history. Cilantro was also know to be used as an "appetite" stimulant.
Buy and
Store
Cilantro can normally be found fresh in your local grocery store and is available
year-round. Before you store cilantro it should be rinsed and left moist (not wet) and
place in a plastic bag. The cilantro may be stored for up to 1 week.
Medicinal
Uses
Coriander is considered an aid to the digestive system. It is an appetite stimulant
and aids in the secretion of gastric juices. A poultice of Coriander seed can be
applied externally to relieve painful joints and rheumatism. Once source (Herbs &
Herb Gardening by Jessica Houdret) said the seeds can be mixed with violets for a
remedy for a hangover.
The essential oils of the cilantro leaves contain antibacterial properties and can be used
as a fungicide. Coriander seeds is considered to have cholesterol lowering
properties.
Cilantro Slaw
from Sunset
Low Fat Mexican Cookbook
5-6 cups shredded cabbage
1 cup firmly packed cilantro leaves, minced
1/4 cup lime juice
1 Tablespoon each water and honey
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
Salt and Pepper to taste
In a large nonmetal bowl, mix
all ingredients together.
Bob's Fabulous Yummy Marinade
from More Recipes from a Kitchen
Garden by Shepherd & Raboff
This marinade can be used to
marinate tofu and meats, as a sauce for noodles or rice, and as a dressing for a green
salad.
5 T vegetable oil
1/3 cup packed fresh cilantro with stems
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup tamari soy sauce
1 ounce fresh ginger (about an inch of it?), cut into six 1/4 inch slices
6 large cloves garlic
1 1/2 T ground cumin
1 small jalapeno or other chili (optional)
Combine and blend all ingredients together in a food processor or blender until the chili,
garlic, ginger and cilantro are finely chopped.
Molcajete
Traditional
Mexican mortar and pestle |
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Authentic Molcajete y
Tejolote from Mexico made of basalt (lava stone bowl and
pestle).. Ample capacity for grinding spices, tomatoes, tomatillos
and for making your own Molcajete Salsa and Molcajete Guacamole. |
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Grow Your Own
Cilantro, is a fast growing
annual reaching 12 - 24 inches tall. The entire plant including the leaves, the
seeds and roots are all edible. Coriander can easily be grown in pots. Simply pick or trim
fresh leaves of whole stalks as required. The leaves get a stronger and sometimes
disagreeable flavor as they get older and larger. If you want to harvest seed for
your next crop; do so after the leaves and flowers turn brown.How to Grow
Look for seed varieties are slower growing and thus take longer to bolt. (Bolting is
when the plant prematurely produces flower stalks and begins to produce flowers and seed).
Flower stalks are thickened stems that eventually produce flowers and seeds. Grow in
full sun. The soil should be kept moist but well drained. But all things considering
the plant is not fussy about soil conditions. Plant seeds in mid to late Spring.
Plant in 2 -3 week intervals for harvest all season long.
Buy Seeds
Renees Garden Seeds
Park
Seeds
Culinary Uses
In the Middle East the
Cilantro leaves are used in pickles, curries, and chutneys. In Mexico and the
Southwestern U.S. it is used in everything from salsas and salads to burritos or meat
dishes. The coriander seeds are used in sweets, breads, cakes and to flavor
liqueurs.
Other
Recipes
Cilantro Lime Glaze
Use as a glaze over
chicken or pork.
Avocado and Cilantro Pesto
Recipe for Avocado and
Coriander Pesto includes cilantro, garlic, lemon, cashew nuts, parmesan
cheese and avocado oil.
Cream of Jalapeno Soup
Recipe for Cream of
Jalapeno Soup by Hell's Backbone Grill, Utah. Includes onions,chiles,
avocados, tomatoes, cream, and cilantro.
More
Recipes
From GourmetSleuth that include Cilantro.
Nutrition
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