Cilantro is a fragrant benefit. The benefits and harms of cilantro is an interesting topic for discussing a spicy herb with an unusual aroma. What does coriander smell like?
Who has been to southern countries oh, he knows that when serving a meat dish, half the plate is traditionally taken up by greens. And among all this green splendor, there is always cilantro - perhaps the most controversial spice, which is either loved or hated. She leaves no one indifferent.
This incredibly aromatic plant has many names, such as: koliander, Chinese parsley, chamei, chilantro, kishnets sowing, kashnich. But only two of them have firmly entered into colloquial speech - cilantro and coriander. Moreover, many, especially Europeans, who use coriander, have no idea that we are talking about the same seasoning. Let's figure out what is what.
Cilantro is a green herb, fresh or ground. But the seeds, whole or ground, are already coriander.
"Spicy" story
Southern Europe is considered to be the birthplace of this annual herbaceous essential oil plant. A little later, they learned about cilantro in North Africa, Asia and South America. However, it is known that even before our era it was used in medicine, and later in cooking. Mentions of this spice are found in Egyptian papyri and Sanskrit texts. The inhabitants of Ancient China were convinced that coriander bestows immortality. In the Middle Ages in Europe, it was added to love potions. And people of that time sincerely believed that always having coriander seeds with them would attract financial luck.
In Asia, coriander is still considered an aphrodosiac that brings success in love. This is even described in the well-known fairy tales of the Arabian Nights. The ancient Greeks also actively consumed cilantro. And the ancient Romans took it with them on the road, being confident that cilantro stimulated the appetite. Perhaps, thanks to the Romans, this spice “went around the world” and became so widespread.
In Russia, people learned about cilantro relatively recently. Coriander seeds were first brought to our country in 1830 by Count Apraksin. Moreover, it remains unknown whether the count brought this spice on purpose or whether it came to him by chance along with anise. Then cilantro was assigned the role of a weed. The manager of the count's estates wrote: "Anise's constant neighbor is the weed called calandra." However, as you can see, even the fact that cilantro was recognized as a weed did not prevent the plant from winning its “place in the sun” in Russia. Now coriander is grown not only in the south of Russia, but even in Yakutia! By the way, back in the 19th century, our ancestors, along with the East, considered cilantro a magical herb. They were sure that if they scattered coriander seeds at the doorstep, then no damage would be caused.
More than just a seasoning
What is so special about this cilantro, since it was able to envelop almost the whole world with its aroma? Of course, this is a very useful plant.
Coriander or cilantro has a whole range of substances and essential oils necessary for our body. Both the grass and the seeds are an excellent natural source of important vitamins such as vitamin A and vitamin C. The former is good for vision and for the production of red blood cells, while vitamin C is simply vital for boosting immunity and improving our body's resistance to various diseases and ailments . In addition, this plant contains vitamin B1, which is necessary for the health of our skin and improving the function of the digestive system, as well as vitamin B2, which determines such beneficial features cilantro, as a strengthening and rejuvenating effect.
People who suffer from cholecystitis should not get carried away with cilantro.
Cilantro has an invigorating bactericidal effect and resists the spread of infection. The plant helps improve brain and heart activity, helps with suffocation and hysteria. Cilantro juice treats stomatitis, strengthens gums, helps reduce bleeding gums and reduce toothache. Coriander seeds help strengthen the walls of the stomach and break down food, stimulate appetite, and have a diaphoretic effect. They are also used for diseases of the digestive tract and hemorrhoids. Patients with epilepsy are recommended to add coriander seeds to their food.
Coriander seeds help eliminate the smell of alcohol from your breath and slow down the process of intoxication.
Today, cilantro is used all over the world and is used not only in cooking, but also in the perfume industry, cosmetology, soap making and medicine.
A fragrance for the elite
As we already said at the very beginning of our article, it is impossible to remain indifferent to cilantro - you either love it or hate it. And it's all about the smell. Opponents of this spice believe that it smells like bedbugs. And what's interesting! The name "coriander" comes from the Greek word "koris", which means "bug". Indeed, when unripe, cilantro gives off an odor a bit like that of a bug, which then disappears, leaving only a pleasant aroma!
Paradoxically, supporters of cilantro value it precisely for its aroma. They consider it very refined and appetizing. Gourmets even say that you need to be able to understand such a spice, like, for example, expensive cognac. By the way, the latter also smells of bedbugs, but this does not prevent it from firmly occupying its position among noble drinks. 
A find for gourmets
So we come to the main thing - how to properly use cilantro in cooking so that your stomach is happy and your body is healthy.
All over the world, chefs add both the greens themselves and seeds - whole and ground - to their dishes. In cooking (especially in southern countries), cilantro is used to prepare salads, rice, potatoes, meat and fish dishes, apple compote and fruit canning.
For example, in India, cilantro is served as a snack. But most importantly, the seeds are the main component of curry, the most famous Indian seasoning. In Greece, coriander is used to season almost all dishes and is widely used in preserving olives. In North and Central Africa, beans and lentils are complemented with spice. And only in France they treat cilantro with distrust and call all dishes with it Greek. It would seem that who else but the French should appreciate the exquisite aroma! After all, they call themselves gourmets...
To get the maximum benefit from the aromatic spice, you need to remember a few simple rules:
It is recommended to add cilantro to soups not before cooking, but at the moment of boiling.
In fried or baked dishes, add coriander before cooking, and greens at the very end.
It is better to sprinkle salads with cilantro when they are already dressed. That is, immediately before serving.
And finally, we bring to your attention a couple of simple, budget-friendly, but very delicious recipes with the addition of cilantro.
Green pea salad with cilantro
We will need:
Can of canned green peas
1 cucumber
1 onion
Cilantro
Finely chop the onion and soak for 10 minutes in vinegar. At this time, put it in a salad bowl green pea and add the diced cucumber. Squeeze the onion and transfer it to a salad bowl. Then we dress our salad a small amount sunflower oil, sprinkle it with finely chopped cilantro, mix and voila! A fragrant and appetizing dish is ready! At the same time, you should not add salt to the salad; canned peas already have enough salt.
Heart with cilantro
We will need:
2-3 pieces of pork heart
1-2 onions
Cilantro
Wash the pork heart thoroughly, get rid of excess veins if possible and cook until tender over low heat (on average 1.5 hours). Add salt to the pan with the heart - to taste. As in the first case, marinate chopped onions in vinegar. Cut the finished and cooled heart into thin slices (about 0.5 cm thick, about 2 cm long), season it with onion (don’t forget to squeeze it out), add a little salt, sunflower oil and generously sprinkle the dish with cilantro. If you haven't tried this dish yet, be sure to try it! Easy, satisfying and very tasty!
Coriander, called "Coriandrum sativum" in Latin, is a herb from the Apiaceae family. The gray-brown seeds, which have a pleasant aroma, are valuable, but crushed coriander leaves emit a very repulsive odor. The height of the plant reaches 60 centimeters, the leaves are pinnately dissected, and the inflorescences are pink or white. Coriander oil is used by perfumers to give the aromatic composition a delicate spicy and warm sound.
Coriander essential oil combines especially beautifully with orange, bergamot, jasmine, ginger and lemon balm. In addition to perfumery, its aromatic properties are used in the cosmetics industry, often as part of numerous components when creating fragrances for soap. But coriander is most widely used in Food Industry, where it is used as a spice.
Coriander is an annual herbaceous plant, belonging to the umbrella family. From its ripe fruits a concentrated essential oil is obtained, which is a colorless liquid with a bitter taste and a pungent coriander odor. When the concentration decreases, this oil acquires a delicate and spicy, chocolate-tinged smell and pleasant taste.
Another function of coriander is purely decorative - its almost regular rounded fruits are used as decorations for ready-made meat dishes or when baking bread.
Coriander essential oil
In his works on essential oils and aromatic substances, the famous Russian scientist Stanislav Amvrosievich Voitkevich noted that Coriander (“Coriandrum B sativum L.”) has been known since the 10th century BC. This annual plant bred in Ancient Egypt, as well as on the island of Crete and was used as a spice and in religious incense. Coriander seed is mentioned several times in the Bible Old Testament along with “manna from heaven.” Ripe coriander seeds are used in the preparation of oriental sweets, some liqueurs, the well-known Borodino bread and canned meat. Coriander greens (cilantro), which are especially loved in the Caucasus, are also eaten.
Coriander oil has English names"Oil of Coriander" or "Coriander Fruit Oil", French - "essence de coriandre", German - "Korianderol" or "Corianderol", in Latin it is called "oleum coriandri".
Essential oil from coriander seeds began to be obtained in the 16th century. For a long time it was used only for medical purposes. Use in perfumery began in the 19th century. The greatest effect in perfumes was provided by oil fractions freed from monoterpene hydrocarbons and containing linalool.
In countries Western Europe Interest in coriander oil as an IF source of linalool fell after the appearance on the market of linaloic oil produced in the West Indies and rosewood oil produced in Brazil, as well as ho oil from the island of Formosa, which belonged to Japan until 1945. Coriander cultivation has survived mainly in Eastern Europe, Yugoslavia, Hungary and Poland.
In Russia, before the First World War, coriander plantations occupied about 500 hectares. It was most often used in seed form as a food additives, but in the 30s, when the USSR government demanded the creation of a domestic raw material base for all industries, including perfumery and cosmetics, coriander essential oil became the most important source of raw materials for the production of a whole range of valuable aromatic substances for perfumery. The production of coriander oil increased from 78 tons in 1932 to 333 tons in 1940, and after a pause during World War II it increased even more, reaching a level of 600-900 tons per year in the 1980s. More than 160,000 hectares of land, suitable for growing wheat, were occupied by coriander.
The increase in production volumes of coriander oil required breeding work to create the most productive varieties of coriander and a complete revision of production techniques essential oil. Breeding work were started at the Institute of Essential Oil Industry near Moscow and since 1954 continued at the Institute of Oilseed Crops in the city of Krasnodar. The creation of new varieties of coriander (such as “Luch”, “Yantar” and others) and the improvement of its processing technology made it possible to increase the yield of essential oil from 0.6 - 0.8 percent to 1.1 - 1.35 percent.
Coriander seed at a humidity of 11-13 percent can be stored without much loss of essential oil for a whole year. This allows the process of obtaining essential oil to be extended over a long period of time - up to 10 months, which allows it to be carried out with a minimum amount of equipment. But the need to process colossal quantities of grain raw materials (from 60,000 to 90,000 tons per year) required a transition to continuous equipment.
Such equipment was created at the Alekseevsky essential oil plant. The process of distilling essential oils is carried out in column apparatus, where a counterflow of steam and coriander crushed on rollers is implemented. Completely excluded manual labor on loading raw materials and unloading waste sent for extraction of fatty oil contained in coriander. The productivity of the apparatus for raw materials exceeds 5 tons per hour.
Chemical composition of coriander essential oil
The main components of coriander oil are (+)-linalool (about 65 - 70 percent), linalyl acetate (3 - 5 percent), geraniol and geranyl acetate (up to 3 percent), camphor (about 4%), monoterpene hydrocarbons (up to 20 percent) and other minor components. The predominant monoterpene hydrocarbons are alpha-pinene, camphene, dipentene and gamma-terpinene. Of the minor components, it is worth noting traces of decyl aldehyde and trans-2-tridecenal, which affect the smell of the oil, as well as the presence of 0.1 percent linalool oxide, which during long-term storage can increase to 4-5 percent due to the oxidation of linalool.
Coriander oil is a colorless or light yellow liquid with a characteristic pleasant odor. By fire characteristics(flash point 79 degrees Celsius) is classified as flammable liquid. Has antiseptic properties. In the form of a 6% solution in petrolatum, it does not cause irritation or sensitization reactions to human skin within 48 hours.
The oil has no IFRA restrictions for use in perfume compositions and cosmetic fragrances. In perfumery and food aromatic essences, it is used in its entirety or after separation from terpenes, which is usually done by vacuum rectification.
To obtain pure linalool without camphor impurities, the oil is subjected to so-called “boron purification”. In European price lists of the early 90s, Russian coriander oil was listed at a price of about 90 US dollars per kilogram, but starting in 1992, when the Russian perfume industry began to experience an economic crisis, coriander oil fell in price: by the end of 1993 - up to 40 US dollars per kilogram, and by August 1994 - up to 15 US dollars per kilogram. It should be separately noted that cases of adulteration of coriander oil by adding ho oil or synthetic linalool have been described.
Use of coriander oil in aromatherapy
The effect of coriander essential oil on the human body: analgesic, antispasmodic, deodorizing. Even the ancient Egyptians appreciated the aphrodisiac properties of coriander and called it “the spice of happiness.” The Indians used it as a seasoning, giving the dish not only an unusual taste, but also increasing its shelf life. The Romans introduced coriander to the territory British Isles and to France. Already in the 17th century, members of the Carmelite Order in Paris produced aromatic water, which included coriander.
IN folk medicine coriander seed is recommended to increase appetite and improve digestion, as well as for diseases of the gallbladder and liver as a cleanser that removes toxins from the body. Modern aromatherapy manuals recommend using coriander oil to reduce anxiety, improve mood, relieve nervous tension, fatigue, rheumatic and arthritic pain. Antiseptic properties are used for colds and flu.
Coriander in perfume notes
Coriander is just a small part of the modern perfumer's vast aromatic toolkit. If you like the sound of this perfume note, you might like the scent of the perfumes from the list below. Try to evaluate.
On the territory of Russia it is possible to grow many aromatic plants, most of which are also medicinal. Their smells affect taste and smell and can awaken emotions. It is sincerely a pity that in modern Russian cuisine a set of these useful plants pretty poor. Most often it is limited to parsley, dill, mint and several other crops, depending on the taste of the owner of the site. But coriander remains undeservedly forgotten.
Coriander is probably the oldest known aromatic plant in human history. It was used in cooking and medicine in ancient Babylon, coriander seeds were found in ancient Egyptian pyramids, because the ancient Egyptians believed that coriander was among the essentials in the afterlife. It was used by the ancient Greeks and ancient Romans. It is mentioned in ancient Egyptian papyri, Sanskrit texts and even in the Old Testament. IN Ancient China It was believed that coriander was capable of granting immortality to a person. It was valued not only as a spicy and medicinal plant, but also as an additive to wine. Nowadays, coriander, also known as cilantro, still remains one of the most popular seasonings, especially in Asia and the Caucasus.
Coriander (cilantro, kishnets, klopovnik, koliandra) - annual spicy-flavoring vegetable crop. Its name comes from the Greek word “koris”, i.e. bug, obviously, for the bug-like smell of its unripe fruits and young leaves, which remains on the hands for a long time if they are crushed a little.
Despite its very specific smell, coriander firmly takes its place as the world leader among spices. The secret of this success is simple - fresh cilantro in combination with other herbs and especially garlic, simply magically transforms. And dry coriander seeds acquire a pleasant aroma and a slight cool pungency, because during the drying process, the aldehyde trans-tricedenol-2, which, in fact, is the “culprit” of that very smell of bedbugs, evaporates from the fruit. Moreover, dry coriander seeds have the amazing ability to fit into almost any dish, adding a completely unique flavor note to each.
The popularity of this spicy plant is so great in the world that in the early seventies of the twentieth century, the famous French perfumer Jean Couturier created a women's perfume under the same name. Until now, these perfumes are in great demand among fashionistas all over the world. As befits a true perfume masterpiece, the Coriander perfume has a complex range of scents: along with the king itself - coriander, you can feel the bitterness of angelica and orange blossom, the sweetness of roses and lilies, the tartness of jasmine and geranium with the woody aromas of sandalwood, patchouli and oak moss. Thanks to its rich composition, connoisseurs rightfully classify this perfume as a true masterpiece of aromatherapy. And no bug smell!
Today, among essential oil crops in Russia, the first place belongs to coriander, which occupies over 75% of all areas occupied by these crops.
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Because of the specific smell of this plant, you should not underestimate this useful spicy and medicinal herb; find a place for it in your garden and you will never regret it!
Based on materials from the newspaper "Ural Gardener"
Coriander has been used as a spice and medicine since ancient times. Coriander seeds were discovered in the tombs of the pharaohs, and the Roman legions carried coriander with them as they advanced into Europe. This spice gave aroma and flavor to the bread. The name “coriander” has an unexpected and repulsive origin - it comes from the Greek word koris - “bed bug”. Coriander received this name due to the similarity of the smell of the leaves with the smell of a harmful insect.
The smell of the seeds noticeably intensifies when roasted. Heat a frying pan without oil, add the seeds and shake them over low heat until they begin to release a rich aroma. Allow the seeds to cool slightly before grinding.
Growing
Coriander is a slender plant with a dense stem, reaching a height of 60 cm, with many side branches, compound leaves and small white flowers with a pinkish tint. It belongs to the same family as parsley and carrots. The homeland of coriander is the Mediterranean and the Middle East.
Coriander seeds are tiny light brown balls about the size of a peppercorn. Coriander grows anywhere it is warm, loves sun, dry soil and easily takes root in nursery boxes and pots. This plant is grown in India, Russia, Brazil, South America, North Africa and Holland.
The greenery of this plant is called “cilantro”.
Smell and taste
Dried seeds have a persistent, very pleasant burnt orange aroma. Ground seeds acquire a delicate, sweetish taste.
The seeds can be stored for a long time and are easy to grind into powder.
It is preferable to use freshly ground coriander seeds as they have a richer aroma than ready-made ground coriander.
Every Indian home has an abundance of ground coriander - for curries, garam masala and other seasonings. Coriander seeds are often mixed with cumin seeds by drying the two spices together before grinding them.
This combination is also typical for the cuisine of the Middle East. Whole coriander can be added to baked chicken or pork and is an ingredient in canning spices. Whole or ground coriander is an ingredient in sweet and sour chutney, especially with green tomatoes. Coarsely ground or whole coriander is used in Greek dishes. Add freshly ground coriander to your homemade tomato sauce or bechamel sauce or use it as a seasoning for carrots, parsnips or
pumpkin soup
. Try adding ground coriander to bread dough along with sun-dried tomatoes or olives. Medical and other applications
Coriander seed oil has many medicinal uses. It has antibacterial properties and is included in medications for colic, neuralgia and rheumatism. This oil eliminates bad smell
pharmacological drugs and tobacco, used in the perfume industry, for the production of liqueurs and gin. Ground seeds are one of the components of an ointment for ulcers on the skin and oral mucosa. Before the advent of toothpaste, coriander seeds were chewed to freshen breath. Coriander (
Coriandrum sativum
In fact, the smell of coriander is strong, but not at all disgusting. In the garden, it will defeat any greenery growing in the neighborhood. Plant dill or parsley next to the coriander and, when cut for the table, they will smell distinctly of coriander. At the same time, coriander greens - cilantro - are an ideal appetizer for meat, especially barbecue or grilled meat and especially lamb. But a vegetable salad of the same tomatoes with cucumbers, accompanied by cilantro, sounds completely different, powerful and commanding.
In addition, it must be said that coriander is not the only plant with a similar smell. World cuisine knows and loves other plants with a rather similar aroma, for example, a completely different plant, long coriander ( Eryngium foetidum), as well as Vietnamese coriander ( Polygonum odoratum) got their names precisely because of the similarity of their aromas to real coriander.
Chinese cardamom also has very similar “bug-like” notes in its aroma. Yes, after all, cognac is sometimes criticized by ill-wishers for its buggy taste. Meanwhile, water bug is generally used in Thailand as a separate spice, although its aroma is still different.
In appearance, coriander greens are similar to parsley greens, so much so that an inexperienced housewife could confuse them, and only the special aroma of cilantro would certainly prevent her from doing this. And if you look closely at the plant, you can see that the shape of the leaf and especially its edges is noticeably different in cilantro, more rounded in its jaggedness.
Cilantro also works great with soups: meat, vegetable and sometimes even fish. Moreover, during heat treatment the smell of cilantro changes, going deeper and becoming much less shocking. Therefore, those who categorically do not like green coriander, but who would like to somehow get used to it and thus expand their culinary horizons, can be advised to start using cilantro in soups and not sprinkling a portioned plate with fresh herbs, but putting it in a pan before turning off the heat under it and allowing the herbs to evaporate in the soup for another ten minutes under the lid.
Ripe coriander seeds are a completely different spice. Almost nothing buggy remains in it, only a deep, warming aroma and excellent qualities of a digestive catalyst. The seeds of local, Russian coriander are small and round. Indian coriander seeds are oblong and noticeably (one and a half, two times) larger.
Usually, the aroma of seeds no longer causes any discomfort in anyone and therefore they are used very widely, much more widely than greens. Take any mixture of spices: Caucasian hops-suneli, Indian, Moroccan, Syrian-Lebanese, and finally, take a dry mixture, perhaps already familiar to every Russian housewife, and almost certainly each of them will contain a fair share of coriander seeds.
Whole seeds are placed in soups, meat, vegetable, and legume stews, in a wide variety of autumn preparations; coriander is suitable almost everywhere. The same seeds, but ground into powder, are sprinkled on hot dishes at the last stage of their preparation and even fresh salads or sandwiches.
Combine coriander with any nuts (to your taste), grind everything into powder and sprinkle it on regular scrambled eggs. Now tell me that this is bad and you are my enemy for life.
