The leaves of the plant Coriandrum sativum, often known in the United States by its Mexican name, cilantro, are widely used in Burma and in fact all over Southeast Asia, usually as a last-minute fresh addition to a curry or a soup or salad. The Burmese word for coriander is nunun; the leaves are nunun pin and the seeds nunun si. The roots of coriander plants are used, pounded, in Tai Koen dishes as well as in Thai curry pastes. Look for bunches of coriander with the roots still on. Store them in water, in the refrigerator, with the tops loosely covered with a plastic bag. When finished with the leaves and stems, store the roots in the freezer, wrapped in plastic. Add to your stock of roots whenever you have a chance. You can substitute the stems of coriander plants for the roots if necessary. Coriander seeds, round and off-white, are a savory spice in South Asian cooking and in a few Shan and Kachin dishes; in the West they are more often used in sweet baking.
