Healthy Recipe Collection

Perhaps you have wondered why certain cookbooks have you put coriander in salsa, while other cookbooks call for you to include cilantro. In addition, when you take a trip to your local grocery store, you see signs around that say coriander/cilantro. Therefore, you may be wondering if there is actually any different between them. Actually, there is not difference at all since coriander and cilantro come from the very same plant.

Cilantro is a versatile herb, which is part of the carrot family. It can be used fresh or dried and it tastes a little like citrus. Coriander is a spice rather than a herb. When cilantro is harvested and dried, it becomes coriander. The stem and leaves of the cilantro plant are used to make coriander.

For many years, cilantro has been used for cooking and baking; in fact, even the ancient Egyptians used it. There are Egyptian writings that mention coriander seeds and the seeds have also been found in ancient Egyptian tombs as well.

There are some stores that actually have what is called Mexican parsley and you will notice it looks like cilantro. This is actually the same herb and cilantro, Mexican parsley, and coriander seeds all come for the coriander plant. In Mexico, cilantro is an herb that is quite versatile within Mexican cooking and is often used much as parsley is in America cuisine.

You can find cilantro in almost any supermarket, located in the produce section. Cilantro is sold in a bunch and is tied up similar to the way that parsley is. Of course, it is fairly easy to differentiate between parsley and cilantro by smelling them or by taking a close look at the leaves. Cilantro has wider leaves than parsley does and it also has a more distinct scent as well.

The herb, cilantro, is used in many sauces, salsas, tasty dips, and in dressings as well. Even some Chinese recipes call for Chinese parsley, which is the very same herb as cilantro.

If you buy cilantro and bring it home, you should rinse it and shake off the excess water, then put it in a glass of water with just the stems below the water. Cover the leaves with a plastic bag. This is much better than drying the cilantro because it preserves the flavor and it will keep for about a week. If you live somewhere very hot, you can store the cilantro on the top shelf of the refrigerator.

When you are ready to use the cilantro in a recipe, you can crush it with a pestle and mortar to release the flavor and aroma. Alternative you can use the leaves whole or roughly torn in salads. If you are cooking with cilantro, add it to the recipe near the end of the cooking time because its delicate nature does not do well when heated. Coriander and cilantro are versatile ingredients and if you are experimenting with flavorsome stews, curries, or other dishes, try adding a little to perk up the flavor of the dish.