Coriander

Coriandrum sativum, or Chinese parsley, also known as culantro, culantrillo, cilantro (Spanish), coriandre (French), yuen-sai (Chinese), and koyendoro (Japanese), is an annual herb originally from the Mediterranean area but now cultivated throughout the world. The green leaves, which rather resemble parsley, are used a great deal in the cooking of the Spanish-speaking islands. The seeds which can be bought packaged from supermarket spice shelves, are widely used in curries. Fresh coriander is usually sold with its roots on. They should not be removed, and the plants should not be washed before storing. They should be wrapped in paper towels and placed in the refrigerator in a plastic bag, or put into a glass jar with cover. They should be washed and soaked for a few minutes in cold water just before using.