cilantro or coriander
Content:
- what is cilantro?
- five interesting facts about cilantro
- how to grow cilantro: planting, care
What is cilantro?
Coriander seed
(or cilantroor bedbug, or intestines, or Chinese parsley) is an annual plant from the family Celery. It has a very strong aroma that can be felt from a distance from where it grows. It has thin branched stems, 60-120 cm high.Leaves basal, long-leaved, three separate, with teeth on the edges. The upper leaves are sessile, pinnatipartite, with filiform lobules.
Flowers numerous, small, white or pink, collected in an inflorescence – a false umbrella. bloom from July to August. Fruit – brown-yellow spherical grains, with a strong specific aroma.
Coriander known since biblical times. Mentions of it can be found in the Bible, ancient texts from China, Egypt, India and the Roman Empire.
homeland of cilantro “Mediterranean, but it is cultivated as a condiment all over the world.
Five interesting facts about cilantro
Fact 1. Cilantro and coriander – one plant.
Many people believe that these are two different plants. But actually it is not. These are different parts of the same plant called Coriander (Coriandrum sativum).
Word “cilantro” means “coriander” in Spanish. What we call coriander leaves is cilantro. therefore cilantro – this is the “green part” of the plant, and coriander is usually called it seeds.
Fact 2. Stems, leaves, roots and seeds – all parts of the plant are used in cooking.
Both leaves and seeds are widely used in Mexican, Indian, Middle Eastern and Southeast Asian kitchens. Fresh cilantro leaves have a slightly citrus flavor. The seeds have a sharper taste and aroma.
Leaves consume fresh or boiled. They are used as a condiment in salads, soups, etc.
fresh greens, probably the most popular condiment in the world. It is cut off in the rosette phase and the beginning of stalking.
Leaves have an aromatic taste. It is specific, and some consider it offensive (reminiscent of the smell of a bug-bug or soap). But you can get used to this smell if you use it often. cilantro.
Fresh leaves contain about 0.012% oxalic acid and 0.172% calcium. Attention! The leaves should not be eaten in large quantities.
Seeds used as a condiment in many dishes, including cakes, breads and curries, and to flavor some alcoholic beverages. Fresh seeds have an unpleasant and nauseating smell. But when dried, they become fragrant (the longer they are stored, the more they acquire a pleasant smell).
from seed an essential oil is obtained, which is used as food flavorings. Also used as a condiment root powder.
But seeds should not be used instead of leaves and vice versa. The root has more flavor than the leaves, stems and seeds. Don’t throw it away. You can grind it to make Thai curry paste.
Fact 3. At cilantro useful properties a lot.
It contains a whole list of nutritional components, useful for health. Greens contain iron, magnesium, vitamins A, B, C and K, as well as fiber and antibacterial chemicals. And the seeds are rich in essential oils (eleven different types), acids, vitamins and minerals.
Leaves are tall antioxidant properties and can delay or prevent food from spoiling. And if you plant a plant in a flower pot and place it on the kitchen window, it will become beautiful. air purifier.
Fact 4. Kinzu considered not only a condiment. She is attributed to medicinal plants.
- She is capable prevent diabetes. Studies have proven that greens promote insulin secretion and help lower blood sugar levels.
- Great fit for eyes and skin. Coriander has a positive effect on eye and skin health. And all thanks to the high content vitamin A. Nutritionists recommend foods rich in vitamin A to protect against eye diseases, including age-related diseases. So, each 100 g of grass contains 6748 IU or 225% of the daily requirement of vitamin A.
- Another property of cilantro — antibacterial property. Cilantro effectively “fights” with salmonella and enterobacteria.
- Detoxification. One of the most important health benefits of cilantro is the ability to rid the body from heavy metals, in combination with chlorella and garlic extract. Coriander is used in particular in the chelation of heavy metals such as lead, mercury and aluminum from the body. It can also eliminate gas in the stomach.
- storehouse vitamin K. Coriander is a good source of vitamin K, which can slow down damage to brain neurons in Alzheimer’s patients.
- Full of phytonutrients. Coriander contains many useful substances. Among them are phytonutrients, namely borneol, camphor, geraniol, kaempferol, limonene, linalool, etc. They are powerful antioxidants (designed to fight free radicals and can strengthen your body’s immune system).
- Leaves and seeds have antispasmodic, regenerative, choleretic, expectorant, laxative, sedative, anthelmintic, wound healing, lactogonal, antihemorrhoid, analgesic actions.
Fact 5. cilantro and coriander for love. It’s natural an aphrodisiac, which is effectively used in India to increase libido. Therefore, add greens and seeds to your food, along with other aphrodisiac plants such as parsley, garlic, celery.
Now you know, benefits of fresh cilantro as well as cilantro in a different form. It remains to plant this plant in your garden, in the country or at home.
How to grow cilantro: planting and care
In order to grow cilantro in your garden, you need to know how to soak cilantro seedsas well as how to plant cilantro seeds and take care of the plants.
How to soak cilantro seeds. Many gardeners recommend do not soak seeds before planting. If you are growing cilantro on a balcony or at home, then you do not need to soak the seeds. Sometimes you can soak them in water at room temperature before planting in open ground, but this is not necessary.
How to plant cilantro seeds. grow cilantro not difficultchoose a very bright place for her, in partial shade it will grow very slowly. Soil should be light, fertile, and moderately moist.
At the end of February, as well as at the beginning of March, cilantro can be planted in a greenhouse or indoors in containers. In open ground sowing cilantro seeds in May, June. Also, the seeds can be periodically sown.
Depth for planting seeds – one centimeter, distance – 10-13 centimeters, and between rows – about 30 centimeters. Thin out seedlings if necessary.
How much cilantro rises. If you have sown your seeds correctly, then in two weeks you will see the first green sprouts, which will become larger and larger every day. Usually all seeds germinate at the same time. And already a month later You can try using young leaves.
How to save cilantro. Often used for cooking dry cilantro. It is very easy to store it. It is enough to dry the leaves and place them in a bag.
Much harder to keep fresh cilantro. To do this, the leaves are soaked in water, then blotted with a paper towel and placed in sealed bags with a zipper or in containers with a lid. Keep air out of the bag and container.
Sealed fresh cilantro put in your refrigerator. Up to a week, it will remain fresh and usable. This method not suitable for long term storage.
For long term storage cilantro must be washed, cut off the damaged leaves, and later completely dry. You can put it on the table or use the dryer. Now we take an airtight container, put a paper towel on the bottom, and on it lay out a layer of leaves cilantro, cover with a towel and put a layer of leaves again. You can lay out several layers in this way.
The last layer and the first are necessarily paper towels. Close the container with a lid and put it in the refrigerator. Packages are not suitable for this method. Cilantro can lie in this form up to a month.
How to grow cilantro on a balcony. If you love this plant very much, but do not have your own summer cottage, then try growing cilantro at home. on the balcony or even on the windowsill.
Take pot medium size with holes, preferably made of clay. You can plant several bushes in one pot. seeds no need to soak.
Place the seeds in the ground, depth – 1 centimeter, soil suitable fertile and loose. Planted seeds must be covered with a film. Two weeks later You can already see the young plant.
At home you can grow cilantro all year round, on the balcony – only in spring and autumn, put the pots in the apartment for the winter. Cilantro loves light, as well as abundant watering, keep an eye on this.
Cilantro seeds where added. Cilantro is sure to come in handy, so feel free to look for pots and grow this plant. cilantro seeds can add in different side dishesgoes well with rice. Dry seeds use for marinades, making sauces, they go well with any pastries, they are used to make sausages, and are also added to marinades for meat.
Where to buy cilantro seeds. In the online store “Florium” you can buy cilantro seeds.
Published: 15.11.2016
