Coriander, Spice
Coriander is the dried fruit of Coriandrum sativum in family Apiaceae. It is known as dhania in India. Coriander seed is a spice, and an important ingredient in garam masala and Indian curries. It acts as a thickener in curries. Vulgare or macrocarpum variety has a fruit diameter of 3-5 mm, while the microcarpum variety has a diameter of 1.5-3 mm. Tropical and subtropical countries, such as Morocco, India and Australia, produce large fruits with low volatile oil content (0.1-0.4%), and are used in grinding and blending purposes in spice trade. Temperate countries countries produce smaller fruits with volatile oil content of 0.4-0.8%, and are used in preparation of essential oil. Coriander is a small seed, almost spherical with one end slightly pointed, and has many longitudinal ridges. It is usually described as mild, sweetish, warm, nutty, with orangy flavor. Coriander is usually brown when dried, but can be lighter in shade. When crushed, the seeds produce a citrus flavor. This is due to the presence of terpenes linalool and pinene. The seeds is generally sold dried, and are available both whole and in ground form. The dried seeds can be roasted or pan-fried briefly before grinding into powder form, to enhance the flavor. Ground form loses its aroma and flavor quickly, so it is best to ground the seeds before using. Apart from its use in cooking, coriander seed is used for pickling vegetable and making sausages. It is also used in making bread and brewing certain style of beers. Coriander seeds are added to orange peel to enhance its citrus character.  Coriander Author: Novalis (Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 3.0) | ||
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