Coriander, seed of the cilantro plant

Coriander is not an herb, but is the seed of an herb used extensively in Mexican cuisine—cilantro. Classified as a spice, coriander is one of the oldest known cultivated and traded botanicals with a history that dates to ancient Greece and Rome. Coriander seed is still popular throughout the world today, and is featured in Latin American, Asian, Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisines.

In India, coriander seed is a primary ingredient in traditional vegetable stew called sambhar and a lentil soup known as rasam.

Coriander is a wonderful spice that adds a pungent, mildly sweet and citrusy flavor to many kinds of foods and seasoning blends. The whole seeds are also pleasant to chew.

It’s best to grind the seeds just before using in cooking because the flavor quickly dissipates with the evaporation of the seed’s essential oils. In addition, lightly toasting the seeds in a dry pan before using whole intensifies flavor. However, although coriander seed may make a bold culinary statement while cooking, it rarely invades a dish to the point of overwhelming it. In fact, coriander is one of those “secret ingredients” that are hard to identify in a recipe but the final dish would be lacking without it.

It has a mild, distinctive taste similar to a blend of lemon and sage, and is commonly used in Indian curries and sausages.

Use whole in pickling and brine spice blends and whole or freshly ground in braised foods. The spice is also a component of grilling rubs and curry mixes.

Non-Organic Coriander seeds are available under the drop-down menu as "Other" options.

Botanical name: Coriandrum sativum
aka: cilantro seed, culantro, Chinese parsley, Mexican coriander
Origin: Egypt/Bulgaria
Notes: Vegan Certified. Organic Non-GMO. Earth Kosher Certified. Approximate cups per lb: 6