On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. This article is about the herb. Not to be confused with the related herb Eryngium foetidum, also known cilantro lime aioli “culantro”.
Chinese parsley may also refer to the unrelated herb Heliotropium curassavicum. This article contains Linear B Unicode characters. Coriander is native to regions spanning from Southern Europe and Northern Africa to Southwestern Asia. The leaves are variable in shape, broadly lobed at the base of the plant, and slender and feathery higher on the flowering stems. Spanish word for coriander, also deriving from coriandrum.
It is the common term in American English for coriander leaves due to their extensive use in Mexican cuisine. Coriander grows wild over a wide area of Western Asia and Southern Europe, prompting the comment: “It is hard to define exactly where this plant is wild and where it only recently established itself. Recent works suggested that coriander accessions found in the wild in Israel and Portugal might represent the ancestor of the cultivated coriander. 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. The Ebers Papyrus, an Egyptian text dated around 1550 BC, mentioned uses of coriander. Coriander seems to have been cultivated in Greece since at least the second millennium BC. Early Bronze Age layer at Sitagroi in Macedonia could point to cultivation of the species at that time.
This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Fresh leaves and dried seeds are the most commonly used in cooking, but all parts of the plant are edible, and the roots are an important element of Thai cooking. Coriander is used in cuisines throughout the world. The fresh leaves are an ingredient in many foods, such as chutneys and salads, salsa, guacamole, and as a widely used garnish for soup, fish, and meat. The taste of the leaves and the seeds are distinct. The dominant flavorants in the leaves are the aldehydes 2-decenal and 2-dodecenal.
Dried coriander fruits are often called “coriander seeds” when used as a spice. Linalool, a terpenoid, is a major contributor to the fragrance of coriander. The dry fruits are coriander seeds. The seeds have a lemony citrus flavour when crushed due to terpenes linalool and pinene.
It is described as warm, nutty, spicy, and orange-flavoured. Large-fruited types are grown mainly by tropical and subtropical countries, e. They are used extensively for grinding and blending purposes in the spice trade. Coriander is commonly found both as whole dried seeds and in ground form. Roasting or heating the seeds in a dry pan heightens the flavour, aroma, and pungency. Ground coriander seed loses flavour quickly in storage and is best ground fresh.
Outside of Asia, coriander seed is used widely for pickling vegetables. 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 seeds are one of the key botanicals used to flavour gin. One preliminary study showed coriander essential oil to inhibit Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, including Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Escherichia coli. Coriander is listed as one of the original ingredients in the secret formula for Coca-Cola. Coriander roots have a deeper, more intense flavour than the leaves and are used in a variety of Asian cuisines, especially in Thai dishes such as soups or curry pastes.
Percentages are roughly approximated using US recommendations for adults. The nutritional profile of coriander seeds is different from that of fresh stems or leaves. The essential oil from coriander leaves and seeds contains mixed polyphenols and terpenes, including linalool as the major constituent accounting for the aroma and flavour of coriander. Different people may perceive the taste of coriander leaves differently.
Those who enjoy it say it has a refreshing, lemony or lime-like flavour, while those who dislike it have a strong aversion to its pungent taste and smell, characterizing it as soapy or rotten. In a genetic survey of nearly 30,000 people, two genetic variants linked to the perception of coriander have been found, the most common of which is a gene involved in sensing smells. Some people are allergic to coriander leaves or seeds, having symptoms similar to those of other food allergies. Other herbs are used where they grow in much the same way as coriander leaves. Eryngium foetidum has a similar, but more intense, taste. Known as culantro and as Ngo Gai, it is found in Mexico, South America, the Caribbean, and South East Asia.