Cilantro/Coriander

Coriandrum sativum
Danish: Koriander
German name: Koriander/Gemeiner Seidelbast
Orissa name: Dhania (Oriya)
Slovensky name: koriandersiaty
Chinese name: Hu-Sui

Uses:
Appetizing (Krankheiten/Anwendung)

Beneficial effect on the digestion (Gunstige Einwirkung auf die Verdauung)

good for the stomach (gut fur den Magen)

makes wine stronger (Macht Wein noch berauschender)

Culinary herb (Gewurz)

Helps with flatulence (Darmwinde)

anthelmintic (wurmabtreibend)

Healthcare Properties:
1.Abdominal discomfort: Grind together the seeds of Coriandrum sativum with cumin seeds, caraway seeds and same of dried ginger into powder. Take one teaspoonful of this powder orally with a glass of luke-warm water twice a day.

Coriandrum sativum, a member of Umbelliferae, is an annual or biennial herb, with basal, odd pinniform compound lewes, compound corymb, white or lilac flowers, It originated in the coastal area of the mediterranean sea and now is widely planted in China, mostly in North-china. It contains protein, oil, saccharide coarse fibre, minerals (Ca, P, Fe), VC, VA, niaein, volatile oils, fragrant substances, malic acid and so on, It is warm-natured and tastes pungent, it can go through lung and stomach, It can induce sweat, bring out the rash of measles, stimulate appetite, invigorate stomach and expel parasites. It is mainly used for the treatment of children's measles, fever, headache, indigestion, dysentery and meat-poisoning, etc. It may be cooked itself or with beef, pork, etc. It can cut the peculiar smell of chicken, duck, fish or meat. Simmer dried coriander, the decoction can be used for thr treatment of lack of milk after childbirth, Wash face with the decoction, the pigmented naevus can be removed, And soak coriander in grape wine, the decoction can be used for stomach pain due to deficiency and coldness.

Appearance: The foliage (called "cilantro") looks like parsley but has an exceptional sweet-musky flavor. Produces pale pink flowers during the summer; these ripen into the sweetly aromatic coriander seed. The plant, in flower, can reach three feet high.

Growing Know-How: Plant during mild weather in moist, rich soil and full sun. Benefits from light shade in warmer weather. Space plants four inches apart. If you want to harvest the leaves, fertilize a week after planting with fish emulsion to provide extra nitrogen. Use a balanced organic fertilizer when you want to harvest for seed.

Propagation: Sow seed outdoors in early spring. If you want a regular supply of cilantro, sow every two weeks through the summer, as plants bolt fairly quickly.

Cultivars: For leaves, plant slower-bolting cultivars.

Potential Problems: Eliminate pests in harvested seeds by freezing the seeds for 48 hours once they are dried.

Harvesting and Using: Harvest leaves of young plants before they bolt to use in Mexican, Caribbean, and oriental dishes. Collect seed when it begins to turn brown in summer. Dry in a warm, airy place over a cloth or hang upside-down to dry inside a paper bag. Rub a handful of seeds between your hands to release the edible seed from the seed coat. Freeze seeds for 48 hours before storing in an airtight jar in a cool, dark place. Use ground seeds in baked goods, soups, casseroles, or potpourri.

Coriander: Coriandrum sativum (Ancient Egyptian s'3w; Coptic bepwrhoy; Greek xotiannon; Modern Egyptian Arabic kusbara) "This umbelliferous herb is cultivated throughout the world... It is a stimulant, carminative and digestive and is used for coughs and in bandages for rheumatism... Prospero Alpini... it was added to a lukewarm bath to expel fever... to treat fever and flatulence... Pliny refers to treatment of spreading sores... burns, carbuncles, and sore ears, fluxes of the eyes, too, if woman's milk be added... taken in drink with rue for cholera... used in bandaging a broken bone... Coriander was included in unguents, among others one to treat herpes... Coriander was among the herbs offered to the temple by the king. Some seeds were found in the tomb of Tutankhamum (1567-1320 BC)..." (Lise Manniche, An Ancient Egyptian Herbal, p.94). Coriandrum sativum: dha_nyaka (Skt.); dhane (B.); dhanya, dhania (H.); kothamalli (Ta.); dhaniyalu (Te.); kothumpalari (Ma.); fruits: aromatic, stimulant, carminative, tonic, stomachic; seeds: chewed to correct foul breath; essential oil seeds contain 19-21% of a fatty oil (GIMP, pp.77-78). Coriandrum sativum dha_nya, dha_nyaka_phala was used in cosmetic preparations in ancient India (B.Sam..) dhanya_ka coriandrum sativum (Car. Ci. 5.69); dha_nya(ka) id. (Car. Su. 3.8, 4.29,42). Coriandrum sativum: coriander-seed, koriandersamen (Ger.); coriandre (Fr.); part used: the dried ripe fruit; habitat: Mediterranean and Caucasian regions... cultivated in India... exported to the USA... Uses: aromatic stimulant, corrective purgative preparations and source of oil of coriander, condiment in bread, cake and pastry, and flavouring agent in cordials, confectionery and tobacco... coriander oil... stimulant and flavouring agent. (Heber W. Youngken, Textbook of Pharmacognosy, Philadelphia, The Blakiston Co., 1950, pp. 629-632).

Coriander - Heb. gad, (Ex. 16:31; Num. 11:7), seed to which the manna is likened in its form and colour. It is the Coriandrum sativum of botanists, an umbelliferous annual plant with a round stalk, about two feet high. It is widely cultivated in Eastern countries and in the south of Europe for the sake of its seeds, which are in the form of a little ball of the size of a peppercorn. They are used medicinally and as a spice. The Greek name of this plant is korion or koriannon, whence the name "coriander."

Habit: Annual

Habitat: Waste places and arable land, often by the sides of rivers.

Height: 0.45 Width: 0.25

Cultivation Details:
Prefers a warm dry light soil. Plants grown mainly for their seeds do well in partial shade, but when growing for the seed or essential oil a sunny position is preferred. The plants dislike constant moisture or too much nitrogen. Another report says that coriander grows best when a cool damp spring is followed by a hot dry summer. Coriander tends to run quickly to seed if the plants are too dry at the seedling stage. Plants tolerate a pH in the range 4.9 to 8.3. Coriander is often cultivated, both on a garden scale and commercially, for its edible seed, there are some named varieties. The plant is fast-growing, ripening its seed without difficulty in Britain and it seems to be free of pests and diseases. The seeds have been used medicinally and as a food flavouring since ancient times, and were introduced into Britain by the Romans. In the Middle Ages they were added to love potions because of their reputation as aphrodisiacs. The plants flowers are very attractive to pollinating insects. Coriander is in general a good companion plant in the garden, helping to repel aphis and carrot root fly. It grows well with anise, improving the germination rate when the two species are sown together, but it grows badly with fennel, where it acts to reduce the seed yield of the fennel. Coriander also grows particularly well with dill and chervil.

Propagation Notes:
Seed - sow April in situ. The seed is slow to germinate and so on a garden scale it can also be sown in March in a cold frame and then be planted out in May. It can also be sown in the autumn.

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Banadura Salata Bil Kizbara
Yield: 6 servings

6 md Tomatoes (firm)
1/2 c Chopped coriander leaves
1 sm Hot chili; -OR-
-Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 Lemon; juiced
Salt
1/4 c Olive oil

Peel tomatoes by placing in a bowl and pouring boiling water over them. Pour off water after 10 seconds and peel off skins.

Slice tomatoes into a bowl and sprinkle with chopped coriander. If using chili, cut off stalk, slit open and remove seeds. Take care that you do not put fingers near eyes or mouth. Chop chili finely. Otherwise use plenty of black pepper. Combine chopped chili or pepper with lemon juice and about 1 teaspoon salt. Beat in 1/4 cup olive oil. Pour over tomatoes and leave for 15 minutes before serving.

Source: The Complete Middle East Cookbook by Tess Mallos

Coriander Pulav
By: Aparna Sriram

Introduction:
I am hereby presenting a rice dish called Coriander Pulav which is so easy to make and tastes good. I have tried it out many times. This is mother's recipe.

Ingredients:
1 cup plain rice or Basmati rice
1 bunch of coriander or cilantro leaves
1" piece ginger
3 - 4 green chillies
1 carrot
1 cup of green peas
salt to taste

Method:
Grind coriander leaves, ginger and green chillies by adding water in a blender. Straight away take oil in pressure cooker add saunf or it is called in english as aniseed, cardamom -3, cloves - 4, small cinnamon stick. Once it fries, add the ground mixture, allow it to boil untill the raw smell of coriander leaves and green chillies disappear. Now add the peas and sliced carrots. Add salt. Pressure cook it by adding the required quantity of water. Serve with onion raita or cucumber raita.

Pasta with Chicken and Coriander

175 g (6 oz) pasta spirals
30 ml (2 tbsp) sesame seeds
175 g (6 oz) leeks
175 g (6 oz) skinless chicken breast fillet
30 ml (2 tbsp) olive oil
5 ml (1 tsp) ginger purée
30 ml (2 tbsp) fresh coriander, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
To garnish:
Fresh coriander leaves

1 Bring a large pan of lightly salted water to the boil and cook the pasta spirals according to the instructions on the packet.

2 Dry-fry sesame seeds in a heavy-based pan until they are crisp and golden, then remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.

3 Slice the leeks and chicken breast fillet. Heat the olive oil in a pan and add the chicken and ginger purée. Cook for 5 minutes, add the sliced leeks and cook for 1 minute. Then cover the pan and continue cooking for a further 3 minutes.

4 Drain the pasta and add to the pan with the chopped coriander and the sesame seeds. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper, toss well and serve hot, garnished with coriander leaves.