If you’re a fan of Mexican, Asian, or Caribbean cooking, then you’ve probably sampled cilantro. It’s strong and unusual flavor make it pretty hard to forget! Cilantro seems to have just as many foes and fans, but there are certain dishes where cilantro is a must.
Pico de Gallo is a Mexican salsa that calls for cilantro, jalapeño peppers, garlic, onions, lime juice, fresh tomatoes, and a bit of olive oil and salt. Cilantro is also an essential garnish for Vietnamese noodle soups. Love it or hate it, without cilantro these dishes just wouldn’t be the same!
You may already know that cilantro and coriander are spices that come from the same plant. Coriander is the seed that comes from the cilantro plant. Coriander definitely doesn’t have the same strong flavor as cilantro, and their uses are actually quite different. Coriander adds a bit of citrus and spice to your dishes, and is a main spice in many Indian curries. Tandoori Chicken is a typical dish that calls for coriander.
As far as growing cilantro, you should have a very easy time growing it from seed. Cilantro prefers warm, dry climates. You can plant your seeds in a container or in the ground. Don’t try and transplant cilantro, however, as it won’t appreciate be moved around. You can expect to harvest the leaves of your plant at around 40 days after you plant the seed. Your plant will be roughly 5 inches tall. Use the leaves as fresh as possible. Dried leaves won’t retain their flavor.
When your plant starts to flower, you should avoid the leaves for cooking. However, after flowering occurs, you can wait about four months and harvest the coriander seeds. Harvest the seeds, clean away any debris and set them out to dry before using.
Cilantro is an annual that should be planted after the last spring frost. It’s easy to grow indoors and out.
Here’s a good article on cilantro recipes you can check out for some cooking ideas:
Cilantro Recipes http://chinesefood.about.com/od/vegetablesrecipes/a/cilantro.htm
