Coriander Seed (Coriandum sativum)

Description

Coriander seed has a mild, sweet, slightly pungent, citrus-like flavour with a hint of sage.

Coriander complements - pork, curries, Middle Eastern dishes, vegetables, stewed fruit, chutney, pickles, cakes, biscuits, lentils.

Did you know?

Both the seeds and leaves (see Coriander Leaf-Cilantro) are used in cooking but are not interchangeable as they have distinctly different flavours. Coriander is known to have been used in Egypt since 1550BC for culinary and medicinal purposes. India is the largest producer of Coriander which is used extensively in curry powders.

Quality

Coriander Seeds should be a uniform, light brown colour, an even size and unblemished. D-Linalool is the principal flavour - giving volatile oil.

Usage

Use 1-2 tsp for 4 servings.

Lightly crush Coriander Seeds and fry in a little oil before adding baby spinach leaves. Toss until wilted and warmed through.
Crushed Coriander Seed and Bay Leaves add a mouth-watering flavour to mushrooms cooked à la Grècque. Sprinkle with olive oil and lemon juice before serving.

Afelia is cubed pork marinated and cooked in olive oil, red wine and crushed Coriander Seed.

Eastern recipes often contain Coriander Seed. Baharat, a seasoning blend from the Middle East, contains Nutmeg, Coriander, Cumin, Cloves, Cinnamon, Cardamoms, Paprika and Chilli and is used to spice meat and vegetables.

Many thanks to Schwartz for letting us use this information.