The coriander in the kitchen
Used both as an aromatic herb and spice, coriander has a lemony and musky taste, a little peppered with the scent of sage and orange zest. It goes well with cabbage, pulses, raw vegetables (carrots) sauces of white meat and fish, but also meats such as roasts, sausages, mutton, veal, and game.
It can also be put in some cakes such as gingerbread, but also crumbles, pies, pastries. Coriander is found in the composition of gin and chartreuse.
It is used in India in the composition of curries and garam massala. Coriander seeds are often mixed with cumin seeds in the Middle East.
Properties
Toning and stimulating, coriander is used as a mild sedative and anxiolytic.
Antibacterial, carminative, coriander stimulates digestion and increases appetite.
The leaves are used to neutralize the effects of too spicy elements.
It is also effective against eye infections.
It is effective in infusion against fever.
In hot compresses, coriander relieves rheumatic pains, and it has amazing nourishing properties for the skin.
History
Used already under the Pharaohs, coriander is also found in the Bible where it is compared to the heavenly manna.
Coriander was also used by the Greeks and Romans to improve the taste of their wine and bread, and later in Europe as a cure for fleas, digestive disorders and diarrhea.
It was brought by settlers in Latin America, and is very popular in Mexico and Peru.
The use of coriander dates back thousands of years in India and China where it was supposed to provide immortality. It is even cited as an aphrodisiac in the tales of the Arabian Nights.
Plant
Measuring 30 to 70 cm, coriander with branched stems and chopped leaves reminiscent of parsley. The flowers are white and give small rounded streaked seeds.
It likes sunny and well-drained soils, but not so easily potted.
Coriander is grown on a large scale in India, Russia, Brazil, South America, North Africa and the Netherlands.
