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Coriander/Chinese Parsley

Long stem with tender, light green leaves. Very aromatic. Harvest when 8 ~ 10 inches tall. Best growth from 65 ~ 77 F (17 ~ 25 C).

Coriander (Coriandrum sativum), also commonly called cilantro in North America, is an annual herb in the family Apiaceae.

Coriander is native to southwestern Asia west to north Africa. It is a soft, hairless, foetid plant growing to 50 cm 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 centre of the umbel longer (5-6 mm) than those pointing to the middle of the umbel (only 1-3 mm long). The fruit is a globular dry schizocarp 3-5 mm diameter.

The name coriander derives from Latin coriandrum, which was first noted by Pliny. The Latin word derives in turn from Greek corys, a bedbug, plus -ander, "resembling", and refers to the supposed similarity of the scent of the crushed leaves to the distinctive odour of bedbugs (largely forgotten in this age of insecticides).

Medicinal Uses
Researchers have found that coriander can assist with clearing the body of lead, aluminium and mercury[1]. {see: Omura and Beckman 1995. Role of mercury in resistant infections & effective treatment of Chlamydia trachomatis and Herpes family viral infections by removing localized mercury deposits with Chinese parsley and delivering effective antibiotics using various drug uptake enhancement methods. Journal of Acupuncture & Electro-Therapeutics Research, Volume 20, Issue 3-4 , August - December 1995, Pages 195-229 ISSN: 0360-1293 - and references therein }

Coriander has been used as a folk medicine for the relief of anxiety and insomnia in Iranian folk medicine. Experiments in mice support its use as an anxiolytic. [1]

Coriander essential oil has been demonstrated to exhibit antibacterial action against E. Coli. [2]

History
It is believed to have originated in the Mediterranean area, and in southwest Europe. Some believe its use began as far back as 5,000 BC, and there is evidence of its use by the ancient Egyptians. In the Bible, Exodus, chapter 16, verse 31, it says "And the house of Israel called the name there of Manna: and it was like coriander seed, white; and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey".

Thought to have been introduced to Britain by the Romans as a meat preserver, coriander seems to have been cultivated in Greece since at least the 2nd millennium BC. In Linear B tablets, the species is referred to 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 flavour 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 (Fragiska, 2005).

Coriander seed and leaf was very widely used in medieval European cuisine, due to its ability to make spoiled meats palatable by "masking" rotten flavours. Even today, coriander seed is an important ingredient in many sausage products.

Coriander was brought to the British colonies in North America in 1670 and was one of the first spices cultivated by early settlers.

 

Always use fresh coriander. Using the dried herb is a waste of time, quite frankly, as you’ll get no flavour out it (the minced stuff in jars isn’t much better either).




When buying fresh coriander, try to avoid the little plastic containers you find in supermarkets: it’s a very pricey way of buying herbs. If you’re lucky your supermarket will also sell it in large bunches (my local Sainsbury’s does on occasion), usually for little more than the poxy plastic jobs. This is the stuff to get, as it’s much better value and an altogether more flavoursome product.

The tender stalks of coriander have the same flavour as that of the leaves. They can therefore by finely chopped and used as well.

Bunched coriander can be frozen if they are to be used for flavouring a dish. Simply wrap them in foil before placing in the freezer.
 

Coriander is one of the most useful herbs you can grow. I use the leaves and roots for flavouring curries, stir fries and other hot dishes. The leaves are also chopped and put in salads. The seeds can be collected and dried for use as a spice.

I laugh internally when I see a coriander plant in a small pot in the garden centre. There's no need to pay the high prices asked for one plant, when you can grow tons of the stuff (fresh organic stuff too) for a pittance by sowing your own seed.

Some time ago, I was walking to my compost heap to discard the remaining contents of a packet of coriander seeds from my kitchen. The use by date had expired. As I walked past a bare patch of veggie garden, I decided to empty the packet there instead. All I did was make a shallow furrow with my finger and sprinkle the seeds along it. I then backfilled and gave it a sprinkle with the hose. Several months later we were still eating fresh coriander from the mass of plants that sprung up in that patch.

And that's exactly how I'll grow coriander from now on. I used to carefully place the seeds about 10cm apart. Not any more.

Coriander has only one drawback. It's sensitive and temperamental, and seems to go to seed with the slightest hint of neglect. Keep the soil damp and try not to disturb the roots with cultivation. Extreme temperatures seem to push coriander to seed.

As I've explained above, coriander can be sown in winter but most books I've read recommend that you sow seed in any other season bar winter. Still, as with most things to do with gardening, why not experiment. If you can get seeds to germinate in winter, then potentially you can have fresh coriander from your backyard all year round.

 

Packet 2g 1000 seeds $2.95