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Coriander Seed | |||||||
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Coriander seed is best known as an ingredient in baked goods, but also goes well with a large variety of foods such as sea food, omelets potatoes, cheese, sausage and even chutneys. This spice is an important ingredient in pickling, curry, the Indian spice mixture Garam Masala, and in other Indian cooking. Coriander seed has a subtle flavor that is warm and spicy with a slight hint of the fresh cilantro leaves. Coriander spice has an aromatic sent which is soothingly warm, nutty, slightly fruity, and complex. Coriander, Coriandrum Sativum, is actually not a seed at all but a dried fruit containing a couple of true seeds. The seeds, or "fruit" of this plant is not the only part used for culinary purposes, the fresh leaves are also sold as the herb Cilantro. Coriander plant's leaves have a similar appearance to that of flat parsley and have a sweet aromatic sent when bruised. The fresh leaves of the coriander plant are also known as Chinese parsley. The fresh leaves are a commonly used ingredient in countries around the world such as North Africa, the Caribbean, Southeast Asia, Mexico, and increasingly the United States. |
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| Coriander Plant | ||||||||
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plant is a member of the Umbelliferae, or carrot family and is thus a close
relative of celery, dill, cumin, caraway, chervil, and fennel among others. Fresh
Coriander is better known as Cilantro, or Chinese parsley. The plant grows a
small bunch of leaves before quickly forming a several foot tall flowering stalk which
produces numerous small light pink flowers. These little coriander flowers
quickly produce the little fruits known as the spice, coriander, which
actually contain several small seeds. If these coriander fruits, or seeds as they are more commonly referred to as, are left on the plant they will quickly turn brown-grey, drop, and disperse. Then the plant dies. Several plantings are necessary to maintain a supply of the fresh leaves throughout the summer. |
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| Coriander History | ||||||||
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Coriander has a long history of use by human civilizations. It was used by the ancient Egyptians thousands of years ago as a spice. Later by the Greeks whose name for the spice, Koros, is a precursor to it's modern common name coriander. The Romans mixed it with other ingredients and used it to preserve meats. Europeans also often included coriander in cooking during the middle ages.
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Other uses of Coriander Seed | |||||||
| -Coriander is a
flavoring in several liqueurs such as Chartreuse and Izarra. -This spice is used as an ingredient in potpourri and sachets. -Coriander is also sometimes used to adulterate low quality cocoa powder. -It is also used medically to aid digestion and prevent flatulence. -Coriander is a flavoring in some spiced beers, Belgian Ales, and especially in Witbier. |
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Growing Coriander Seed |
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Growing
cilantro
coriander is relatively easy. The seeds of this annual should be first sown
starting in early spring and continued throughout warm
weather to provide a constant supply of the fresh leaves as
the plant bolts fairly quickly. The plants will grow best in
a sunny spot with rich, well draining soil. Harvest the coriander seeds in late summer by cutting off the whole flowering heads just as the seeds turn from green to brown. Place the flower heads in a closed paper bag and allow them to dry until the coriander seed easily falls off when lightly shaken. About one week. If the seeds are allowed to dry to long on the plant they will fall off and disperse. The seeds we sell are viable and can be used for planting. |
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| *bulk quantities also available | **Quantities occasionally limited | ***Prices subject to change without notification | ||||||
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