Cooking with Coriander: A Quick Look at the Different Uses of This Special Herb in Cookery

Coriander is a popular herb that has many different uses in the common practice as well as the art of cooking. This ingredient is really special, particularly because almost all of its parts can be used in cookery. From the leaves down to the very roots, these parts have specific functions in creating tasty and sumptuous dishes. Cooking with coriander is a very ordinary thing to do in countries like Africa, China, and India. In general, coriander is widely used in areas such as Southeast Asia, Latin American, and the Middle East.

Roots

The roots of this herb play a very important role in the process of cooking with coriander. Using coriander roots in cooking is a regular practice in Asia, more specifically in Thailand, where roots are key ingredients in making curry pastes. Likewise, this part is also one of the major reasons why Thai soups taste really good, especially because the taste of coriander roots is richer and more intense compared to the other parts of the herb.

Leaves

Aside from the roots, the leaves also have many different uses in the common practice of cooking all throughout the different parts of the world. When cooking with coriander, the leaves are regularly used in so many dishes, particularly in the countries of Mexico and China, as well as in the South Asian region. Coriander leaves provide richer taste and flavor to famous Mexican dishes such as guacamole and salsa. Meanwhile, the same leaves are used in the South Asian condiments called chutneys, which are known for their distinctively spicy and sweet flavors. Cooking with coriander is also a frequent practice in Europe.

Fruit

Lastly, the fruit of coriander is also a very important ingredient that is usually included in cooking various kinds of dishes. The practice of cooking with coriander also includes the use of its seeds, which possess a unique citrus taste and smell, giving food additional flavor. Meanwhile, they are also described as spicy, nutty, and warm, while other individuals taste a certain orange-like flavor in them. In India, cooking with coriander is already an ordinary practice. Some of the tasty Indian recipes that use coriander seeds are Rasam and Sambhar, which are two different types of gravy. In addition, these special seeds are also used as major ingredients in making different kinds of Indian curries.

Coriander seeds are also added to make Garam masala, which is a basic spice in India. Besides India, cooking with coriander is also a common practice in Russia, where coriander seeds are used to make rye bread, as well as in Germany, where they are added to make sausages tastier.