On Food and Cooking

Coriander Coriander or cilantro is said to be
the most world’s most widely consumed fresh
herb. Coriandrum sativum is a native of the
Middle East. Its seed has been found in
Bronze Age settlements and in the tomb of
King Tut; it was taken early to China, India,
and Southeast Asia, and later to Latin
America, and its rounded, notched, tender
leaves are popular in all these regions. In
Central and South America they came to
replace culantro (p. 408), an indigenous
relative with very similar flavor, but with
large, tough leaves. Coriander herb is not very
popular in the Mediterranean and Europe,
where its aroma is sometimes described as
“soapy.” The main component of the aroma is
a fatty aldehyde, decenal, which also provides
the “waxy” note in orange peel. Decenal is
very reactive, so coriander leaf quickly loses
its aroma when heated. It’s therefore used
most often as a garnish or in uncooked
preparations. In Thailand, the root of the herb