I cannot imagine cooking without Coriander leaves. I always end with a sprinkle of Coriander leaves on most of the dishes that I cook. The best Coriander leaves are sold in Mysore. They are fresh, aromatic and so tender!
Coriander leaves are available all year round in South India and the other common name is Cilantro (Spanish). The botanical name is Coriandrum sativum and belongs to Apiaceae (Carrot) family. In Kannada it is known as Kothambari Soppu, in Hindi it is Dhaniya, and in Tamil it is Kotthu Malli.
Coriander plant can grow up to a height of 2 feet. The stems are green and aromatic with many branches. The leaves are light green and feathery with an unbeatable aroma. Coriander is used in all cuisines across the world.
The flowers are small, white, and bloom in umbel-like clusters.
The fruit is spherical and contains seeds inside them. The dry fruit turn into dry grass color when dry. They are aromatic and again the whole dry fruits are used in most of Indian and South East Asian cooking.
The seeds inside are roasted and mixed with Saunf / Aniseed and eaten after food as a digestive and mouth freshener in India.
The root looks like baby carrots and are edible. The roots are used in South East Asian cooking.
Coriander seeds is widely used in Ayurveda to treat fever and other ailments.
Propagation:
Coriander can be grown from seeds. Plant in well-draining soil in a sunny location.
Recipes using Coriander as the main ingredient:
Mango Coriander Chutney
Onion Garlic Chilies Coriander Chutney
Coriander Clear Soup
Coriander Chutney
Kothambari Soppina Khara
