Cilantro
Cilantro is the leafy green part of the coriander plant. In some parts of the world, in United Kingdom for instance, cilantro is referred to as coriander leaves. Cilantro is a member of the parsley family called Umbelliferae, and the leaves on long stems do resembles flat-leaf parsley at a first glance, although the flavor is entirely different. Cilantro and coriander both come from the same plant called Coriandrum satvium which is considered both an herb and a spice. The name cilantro refers to the fresh herb (leaves and stems) of the plant whereas coriander refers to the seeds, usually sold dried and either whole or ground. The flavor of cilantro can be described as pungent, bitter and bright with a hint of lemon, lime, sage, and to some extent soap(!). Cilantro is popular all over the world, but especially in the Middle East, Africa, Asia (except Japan), India, North Africa as well as Central and South America. The herb adds a boost of flavor to curries, chutneys, noodles, guacamole, tacos, chimichurri, grains, salsas, salads and dressings. It is also very popular within the health community, thanks to its phenomenal healing properties. Cilantro is a great source of vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients and antioxidants – especially vitamin A, K and C, iron, calcium, manganese and magnesium. But it is perhaps most famous for its remarkable ability to remove heavy metals from the body which is why it is a popular addition to detox juices and smoothies. To a certain percentage of the population, cilantro has a soapy aftertaste. This can be explained by a compound called aldehyde, which is found naturally in some plants and also used as a component in some detergent, soaps and perfumes. Not everyone can detect aldehyde as a flavor which may explain why only certain people have a strong dislike of cilantro. Some insects such as stink bugs and bed bugs also produce aldehydes, and, interestingly, the word Coriander comes from the Greek word koriannon, meaning bug.
VOLUME
Loud
FLAVOR PAIRINGS
Amaranth, apples, arame, asparagus, aubergine, avocado, bamboo shoots, banana, basil, beans, beansprouts, beets, bell peppers, blueberries, broccoli, bok choy, cabbage, cardamom, carrots, cauliflower, cayenne, celery, chickpeas, chili, Chinese cabbage, chives, cinnamon, citrus fruit, coconut, coconut aminos, coconut cream, coconut milk, coconut yogurt, coriander seeds, corn, couscous, cucumber, cumin, curry, daikon, dulse, flax seeds, edamame, galangal, garlic, ginger, green beans, hijiki, jicama, kaffir lime, kale, leafy greens, lemon, lemongrass, lentils, lime, liquid aminos, mangoes, melon, millet, mint, miso, mushrooms, mustard, nama shoyu, nori, nutmeg, nuts, nut cheeze, nut cream nut milk, oil, okra, onion, oranges, paprika, papaya, parsley, peanuts, pears, peas, pepper, pineapple, pomelo, potatoes, pumpkin, pumpkin seeds, quinoa, radish, raspberries, rice, tarragon, snow peas, spinach, sprouts, squash, strawberries, sweet potatoes, tahini, tamari, tamarind, tofu, tomatillos, tomatoes, turmeric, vinegar, wakame, walnuts, watermelon, young coconut meat, zucchini
SELECTING
Look for fresh cilantro sold by the bunch in the produce section of most grocery stores or at the farmer’s market. The main difference between flat leaf parsley and cilantro is that the leaves of cilantro are usually more thin, delicate and rounded.
Dried cilantro is not very common and understandably so, as it is not very flavorful.
Online or at your local health food store you can also find cilantro essential oil or extract. Add a few drops of cilantro oil to food or drinks, but make sure it is food grade.
HOW TO USE
Pick off the leaves and save the stems for blending into a soup, sauce, dressing, pesto, juice or green smoothie. Use the leaves whole or chopped, mixed in or sprinkled on your food right before serving. Cilantro adds a refreshing note to spicy dishes and is commonly used in Indian, Mexican, Asian and Moroccan cuisine.
Cilantro is best when used fresh rather than dried or cooked. The flavor and nutrition is much diminished when the leaves are cooked, and dried cilantro has only a small fraction of the flavor of fresh. Although in some rare recipes cilantro is cooked, like in the Iranian herbal stew Ghormeh Sabzi for example.
Juicing is a very efficient way to consume large amounts of cilantro for healing. It can also be blended into a green smoothie.
STORING
Just like basil, cilantro is a very delicate herb that wilts easily. For optimum shelf life, avoid chopping or washing cilantro until ready to use. If you prefer to wash your cilantro before storing, use cold water and dry thoroughly, preferably by using a salad spinner, then place in a sealed container or zip-lock bag lined with a paper towel. The paper will absorb excess moisture which will prolong the shelf life of the leaves. Store like this in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. To extend shelf life further, cilantro can be stored in a glass with the tip of the stems submerged in water, just like flowers in a vase. Then wrap the whole thing loosely in plastic and refrigerate for 1 week or more. Change the water every once in a while.
Fresh cilantro doesn’t freeze very well. If you’ve got too much cilantro on your hands you can make cilantro pesto by grinding oil, nuts or seeds, garlic, cilantro and salt in a food processor. Another option is to make cilantro butter by combining 2 parts of vegan butter with 1 part chopped cilantro. Both pesto and butter freeze well. Divide into portions before freezing for convenience.
Herbal salt is another way to make use of cilantro whether you have more than you need or if you want to use up stems or leftover pulp after juicing. Spread the sprigs or pulp with stems and all on a dehydrator tray lined with a non-stick sheet. Dehydrate at 35°C (95°F) until all moisture is gone and the leaves are crunchy. Grind in a spice grinder or blender until powdered and mix with a high quality sea salt or mineral salt. Use instead of plain salt on a daily basis as a way to add nutrients and cut down on salt consumption. It also makes for an appreciated gift.
SUBSTITUTIONS
The flavor of cilantro is very distinct and difficult to replicate. If you don’t like the taste of cilantro, consider replacing it with flat leaf parsley, dill, sage, chervil, tarragon, or a combination of all five. Another possible substitute would be citrus zest.
The taste of coriander seeds is quite different from the leaves, so they should not be considered a replacement for fresh cilantro.
HEALTH BENEFITS
Cilantro is high up on the list of the most healing and medicinal herbs. The unusually high amounts of phytonutrients and antioxidants may explain its remarkable healing powers. Or, it may be attributed to the herbs ability remove heavy metals such as mercury and aluminium from the body’s fat tissues and organs. In either case, cilantro has shown evidence of preventing or diminishing a whole range of serious ailments such as diabetes, Alzheimers, Parkinson’s, IBS, MS and even Autism. It is also known to promote healthy gut, lungs and adrenals as well as lowering bad cholesterol while increasing good cholesterol. But the good news doesn’t end there. Cilantro also contains a unique anti-inflammatory compound called dodecenal which in a study published in Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry in June 2004, proved to eliminate salmonella twice as efficiently as gentamicin, a conventional antibiotic otherwise used for treating Salmonella. Isao Kubo, a chemist at the university of California stated that he was “surprised that dodecenal was such a potent antibiotic.” Dodecenal is found all throughout the plant, in both the stems, leaves and seeds.
