Many have witnessed the often polarizing effects of the seemingly innocent herb, cilantro. Revered by some as the holy grail of garnishes, a portion of the population disagrees, relating it to the punishment of washing ones mouth out with soap
Many have witnessed the often polarizing effects of the seemingly innocent herb, cilantro. Revered by some as the holy grail of garnishes, a portion of the population disagrees, relating it to the punishment of washing ones mouth out with soap.
But for those of you on Team Cilantro and looking to grow herbs indoors, you’re in luck! Cilantro is not recommended for multiple harvests, but for indoor gardeners with intermediate indoor herb experience, growing a continuous succession is possible all year long. By creating an indoor environment that is warm, dry, and airy, many indoor gardeners have a successful crop.
History and application of cilantro
For such a controversial taste, cultures across the globe have embraced cilantro and coriander as their own for centuries. The earliest recorded coriander was found in Israel and dates back 6,000 B.C.E (2). Romans loved to trade it, and King Tut’s sarcophagus was adorned with coriander seeds to enhance his passage from human to deity (3). Pinpointing the origin is difficult, but spanning across cultural cuisines, the herb is almost always used raw.
Coriander vs. Cilantro
Vastly different in taste and application, cilantro and coriander receive separate but equal appreciation. While cilantro is the bright green plant with textured leaves, the seed is used to produce the popular spice coriander (1).
The aromatic fruit of the Coriandrum sativum, or the coriander seeds, are ⅕” in diameter and can be used in recipes, whole or crushed (4). Its flavor is earthy, spicy and acidic, and you’ll find coriander prominently flavoring pickles in Middle Eastern or Asian cuisines. Europe and the Americas also hold an affinity for coriander, from the use in Belgian wheat beer since the Middle Ages, to shining in many Mexican dishes and referred to as semilla de cilantro in Spanish.
Related to parsley, dill, carrots and parsnips, in most cuisine, cilantro is used fresh to maintain the complex, acidic, pungent flavor. All varieties will do well in an indoor environment. You’ll find large amounts of cilantro in Indian, Middle Eastern, Asian, South American, and North American cuisine.
Medicinal properties of cilantro
Because the use of cilantro and coriander are ancient and widespread, there are many claims to its health benefits and healing properties. Scientific research shows that the antioxidant nature of cilantro is the most supported, with its ability to suppress oxidation stress and reduce radical scavengers (5).
Studies are also developing with cilantro’s ability to remove heavy metals. Rats exposed to lead for four weeks, and then treated with coriander concentrate for seven days, tested lower for lead compared to the rats who were not treated with coriander (5).
Try some fresh cut cilantro on tacos or a BBQ chicken pizza to give an extra kick of flavor! Image: Jamie
Why cilantro is good to grow in containers
With its large seeds, planting cilantro in containers is easy. Cil