Coriander
Coriander (cilantro or Chinese parsley) A-Z
- How to use coriander in cooking
- Example recipes
- How to grow coriander at home
1. How to use coriander in cooking
Coriander is one of the most popular herbs in the world and ideal for recipes like Chinese stir-fry, Mexican Salsa, etc
It has a very unique flavour, you either love it or hate it – very often linked to your genetic & cultural basics.
With a very distinctive lemon & lime taste when added to recipes or salads will provide a real flavour.
To use it in cooking:
- If growing your own then cut a twig from the plant
- Then remove the leaves – easiest option is to start at the top and gently slide your finger down, removing the leaves.
- Then cut the leaves into small bits.
The video below shows how it’s cut when making Ginger garlic chicken stir fry:
2. Example coriander recipes
Coriander is most often used when cooking Chinese stir-fry, Mexican Salsa, etc.
But it can also be used in recipes like Coriander tea.
A key benefit of this herb is that (in addition to it’s lovely flavour) it also has a number of health benefits (source Healthline)
- For example it can help your digestive system, reduce blood sugar levels and even help your skin, etc.
- Healthy diet – it contains a number of vitamins, like vitamin C, A and K
- Blood sugar – may help reduce blood sugar levels (high blood sugar is a risk for getting diabetes)
- May help heart health, Promote digestion and gut health, etc. etc.
Popular recipes
Brazilian chicken curry
Vegetable curry with lentils
Air fryer Pork Sekuwa
Spicy beef in tomato sauce
Ginger Garlic chicken stir fry
Cinnamon coriander tea
Easy coriander chicken
Cilantro lime sauce
Coriander puree
1. How to grow coriander at home
1a. Quick summary
- Seed to harvest – 40 to 70 days
- Height 30 to 60 cm
- Loves warm, sunny conditions
1b. Instructions
When growing from seed you will need the following:
- 1 packet Coriander seeds
- Plant pot & soil
- 1 Seed tray (optional)
- 1 Heating mat (optional)
Step 1 – Get the coriander seeds.
You can order them online or some garden centres will sell them.
Step 2 – Plant and grow the coriander
There are 2 methods you can use:
Option 2a – Using soil..
If you want to grow leaf coriander indoors from seed using soil (i.e. in a pot) then all you do is.
- Sow the seeds thinly in a pot
- Cover the seeds with 6mm sieved compost
- The seed will germinates in 7 to 14 days
- The thin the seedlings 23 to 30cm apart
Make sure you place the pot on a window sill, terrace or balcony in a sunny position, ideally with some shade during the hottest part of day.
Option 2b – Use Hydroponics
Alternatively this is an ideal herb to use in your hydroponic or aquaponic system – like the pictured kitchen hydroponic kit.
All you do is:
- Sow your seeds in rockwool planting cubes
- Make sure you keep them moist
- When they start to germinate put the cubes in your hydroponic or aquaponic system
- And then grow as above, making sure you provide light 12 hours per day.
As it will be ready to be harvested quicker than planted in soil.
Either way if you want to use the herb for it’s leaves then you will be able to use the leaves in about 3 to 4 weeks.
They will grow to about 30 to 60 cm high
Adds a lovely flavour to recipes (but in my opinion not as good as seed coriander). Very easy to grow – but do try hydroponics or aquaponics as you will get much better yields