The Science of Spice

122 Spice Profiles

Region of cultivation

Native to the Mediterranean and southern

Europe, coriander is now cultivated extensively

throughout the world for both seed and leaves.

The main centres of production are in India

and Russia, with large exports from Morocco,

Romania, Iran, China, Turkey and Egypt.

The plant

Coriander is a hardy herbaceous

annual plant. There are two main

cultivated varieties: vulgare

(Indian) and microcarpum

(European).

Whole

The small, round

European fruits are

more citrusy than

the larger, oval fruits

of Indian coriander,

which have a sweet

and slightly creamy

taste. Store for up

to a year.

Ground

coriander

can also act

as a thickener

The husk

of each fruit

contains two seeds

Pink-tinged

or white

flowers

develop into

the fruits of

the spice

European

fruits have a

higher essential

oil content

Edible roots are

used in Thai cooking

Powder

Pre-ground

coriander loses its

aroma quickly, and

it is preferable to

grind whole seeds

as required. Store for

up to four months.

BOTANICAL NAME

Coriandrum sativum

ALSO KNOWN AS

Cilantro; sometimes mistakenly called

Indian, Chinese, or Japanese parsley.

MAJOR FLAVOUR COMPOUND

Linalool.

PARTS USED

“Seeds” (in fact fruits), leaves, and roots.

METHOD OF CULTIVATION

Grown in fields as an annual crop; the

fruits form on the plant about three

months after sowing.

COMMERCIAL PREPARATION

Stalks are cut before the fruits are fully ripe.

Fruits are threshed, cleaned and dried.

NON-CULINARY USES

Essential oil in perfumes and cosmetics.

Also used as traditional remedy for ulcers

and stomach problems.

EASTERN

EUROPE

RUSSIA

NORTH

AFRICA

SOUTHERN

MEDITERRANEAN

CORIANDER

Citrus | Floral | Warming

Indian

European

The discovery of an 8,000-year-old

stockpile of the spice in the Nahal

Hemar cave in Israel, together

with evidence from Egyptian tombs,

suggests coriander has its origins as

a commercial crop in the Near East.

The Greeks and Romans used it as

a medicine and a meat preservative,

as well as a spice in dishes such as

lentils with chestnuts. The spice

travelled to India via Persia around

2,000 years ago, and four centuries

later evidence points to its widespread

use from China to Anglo-Saxon Britain.

Early European settlers took the spice

to North America, where it became

naturalized and widely cultivated.

By the 18th century, the spice had

fallen out of favour in Europe, and

its use became largely limited to gin

distilling and beer brewing; it is still

a popular flavouring in Belgian beers.

Spice story

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