Coriander Seed

[donna]

Coriander seed is a dried, ripe berry that is member of the parsley family. A native of Europe, the bulb of the imported crop comes from Yugoslavia and French Morocco.

It is probably one of the first spices to be used by mankind, having been known as early as 5000 B.C. Early Sanscrit writings and papyrus, dating from 1500 B.C., also spoke of it. In the Old Testament "manna" is described as "white like Coriander Seed".

It is a small seed ranging in color from white to yellowish brown. The seeds are almost round, with straight and wavy ridges and vary in size fro 1/8" to 3/16" inch in diameter. Coriander has a mild distinctive taste, similar to a combination of lemon peel and sage.

Coriander is available whole or ground. It is popular in many meat products. It is used in Curry Powder and as a flavoring for buns, pastry, cookies and cake.

 

[donna]

Coriander seed is used in coffee. To make demitasse crush a coriander seed in the bottom of cup and fill with coffee. It gives coffee a new and exciting taste.

Coriander seed to a limited degree is produced in U.S. in Kentucky. There is recipe for curry powder in the cookbook "The Kentucky Housewife" by Lettice Bryan that has coriander as one of the ingredients.

"Coriander seeds thirteen ounces, black pepper two ounces, cayenne pepper one ounce, turmeric and cumin seeds each three ounces, and trigonella seeds four drachms; all to be pulverized and mixed together."

 

[donna]

Another spice that not mention often but great to use in many dishes.

 

[Fairfield]

A friend of mine grows cilantro/coriander indoors (Maine is too cold for an outdoor crop). She likes the seeds in coffee. When the flowers have died, she dries the leaves in bunches from the beams in her kitchen and harvests the seeds.

My friend is one of those home-health enthusiasts (we kid her that, in the old days, she might have risked being burned at the stake ) and says that the health benefits of coriander make it a must.