Coriander: fresh leaves, seeds and coriander powder in the kitchen

Coriander (cilantro for the leaves in the US, dhania in Hindi, kolendra in Polish) gives the kitchen two quite different ingredients: fresh green leaves, and dried seeds, whole or ground. The leaves taste fresh, citrusy and slightly peppery and go in at the end of cooking. The seeds are warm, nutty and lemony, and in Indian cooking they are the base of almost every spice mix.

Coriander in Polish

When you buy fresh herbs in a Polish shop, check the label and the smell: parsley (natka pietruszki) looks similar but has no citrus note.

Fresh coriander: leaves and stems

Fresh coriander looks like flat-leaf parsley, but its leaves are softer and rounder and it has a strong smell. Some people find the taste "soapy". This is a known difference in how people perceive the taste, not a fault of a particular bunch.

In Indian, Mexican, Thai and Vietnamese cooking, fresh coriander is one of the basic herbs:

• it is scattered over finished curry, dal, biryani and raita,
• it is the main ingredient of green chutney with mint, chilli, ginger and lemon juice, served with samosas and pakoras,
• it goes into salsa and guacamole,
• in Thailand and Vietnam it is added to soups, salads and spring rolls.

Do not throw the stems away. They taste the same as the leaves, or stronger. Add finely chopped stems at the start of cooking and the leaves at the end. Thai cooks also use coriander roots in curry pastes.

Fresh coriander loses its aroma in long cooking, so always add it just before serving.

Coriander seeds: whole and ground

Coriander seeds are small, round, light brown balls. They taste quite different from the leaves: warm, slightly sweet, with notes of citrus and nuts.

Whole seeds are toasted in a dry pan until they smell fragrant, then ground in a grinder. Freshly ground coriander has a much stronger aroma than ready-ground. Whole seeds also go into marinades and pickling brines.

Coriander powder (dhania powder) is one of the spices found in almost every Indian curry, next to turmeric, cumin and chilli. Add it to the sauce after frying the onion, garlic and ginger, together with the other ground spices. Fry it briefly, about half a minute, over low heat so it does not burn. Coriander is also an ingredient of garam masala, curry powder and sambar powder.

Ground coriander loses its aroma quickly. Buy smaller packs or grind the seeds as you need them.

A simple green chutney

Ingredients:

• a large bunch of fresh coriander with stems,
• a handful of mint leaves,
• 1 or 2 green chillies,
• a thumb-sized piece of ginger,
• juice of half a lemon,
• a pinch of salt and sugar,
• a few tablespoons of cold water.

Method:

1. Wash and dry the coriander and mint. Cut off the thick ends of the stems.
2. Blend everything to a smooth paste. Add the water a spoonful at a time.
3. Taste, and adjust with salt or lemon juice.

Keep the chutney in a closed jar in the fridge and eat it within two or three days.

How to keep fresh coriander

Fresh coriander wilts fast. Two simple ways to make it last longer:

• Like a bouquet. Trim the stems, stand the bunch in a jar of water, cover it loosely with a bag and put it in the fridge. Change the water every few days.
• In kitchen paper. Wrap dry coriander in slightly damp kitchen paper and put it in a container in the fridge.

Wash coriander only just before you use it. For longer storage, chop it and freeze it in an ice cube tray with a little water or oil. Frozen coriander works in curries and soups, but not as a garnish.

Keep the seeds and the powder in an airtight jar in a dark, dry place.

Where to buy coriander in Poland

Little India sells fresh coriander by the bunch, whole coriander seeds from MDH and Suhana coriander powder. Other spices are in the ground spices category. Little India has shops in Warsaw, Kraków, Wrocław and Gdańsk and ships orders across Poland.

Which spices to keep next to coriander is covered in the Indian spices starter kit. The next spice on that list is cumin (jeera).