also known as cilantro, Coriandrum sativum, a plant of the family Umbelliferae, is related to parsley, for which reason it is sometimes known in the Orient as Chinese parsley. This is a misnomer, in that the strong flavour of its leaves is quite different from that of parsley; but not entirely misleading, since its leaves are used in many tropical and subtropical parts of the world in the same way as parsley leaves are in temperate climates.
The plant reaches a height of 60–90 cm (2–3′), and has a much branched stem and finely divided leaves. The small flowers are white or pinkish. The seeds are two semiglobular fruits joined on the inner sides giving the appearance of a single, smooth globe. They are yellowish brown and have a mild fragrant aroma and a sweet aromatic taste, carrying no flavour of the roots, stems, or leaves.
Coriander, which is indigenous to S. Europe and the Mediterranean region, was already being cultivated in ancient Egypt for medicinal and culinary purposes. Its dried seeds have been used there and in S. Europe since classical times as a spice. The Roman statesman Cato recommended chopped fresh coriander as a garnish to encourage an invalid's appetite. Nowadays, it can be grown in English and other northern gardens.
Use of the seeds has continued to be widespread in Europe. In contrast, the leaves, which are so widely used in Latin America and SE Asia (with fish and seafood, meat and poultry, in salads and soups as a garnish, often lavishly), are little used in Europe, with the notable exception of Portugal; Portuguese use of the leaves derives from Africa, where Portuguese settlers took it over from the native Africans in, for example, Angola.
The seeds are used as an aromatic spice in a great many foods from stews to cakes and breads. In the Middle East fresh coriander is so widely used that it is sometimes called ‘Arab parsley’. Both seeds and leaves are used extensively in India. The seeds are a standard item in garam masala and occur in numerous curry-type dishes, as do the leaves.
The plant has a characteristic and strong smell. The very name coriander is said to be derived from the Greek word koris, meaning bed-bug. The foliage of the plant, and its seeds in the unripe stage, have an odour which has been compared with the smell of bug-infested bedclothes. Europeans often have difficulty in overcoming their initial aversion to this smell.
Coriander has now become popular in all of Asia other than Japan, where it is unknown. In Thailand even the roots are used; they are ground and added to stews and curry-type dishes, as in India. It is usual in Asia and Latin America to find fresh coriander for sale with its roots still in place, so the Thai example can be followed without difficulty elsewhere.
Alan Davidson was a distinguished author and publisher, and one of the world's best-known writers on fish and fish cookery. In 1975 he retired early from the diplomatic service—after serving in, among other places, Washington, Egypt, Tunisia, and Laos, where he was British Ambassador—to pursue a fruitful second career as a food historian and food writer extraordinaire. Among his popular books are Seafood of South-East Asia, North Atlantic Seafood, and Mediterranean Seafood. In 2003, shortly before his death, he was awarded the Erasmus Prize for his contribution to European culture.
