Coriander

:: Latin Name :

Coriandrum sativum

:: Sensoric quality :

Aromatic, selective.

:: Main constituents :

In the ripe fruits, the content of essential oil is comparably low (typically, less than 1%); the oil consists mainly of linalool (50 to 60%) and about 20% terpenes (pinenes, ?-terpinene, myrcene, camphene, phellandrenes, a-terpinene, limonene, cymene).

The taste of the fresh herb is due to an essential oil (0.1%) that is almost entirely made up of aliphatic aldehydes with 10 to 16 carbon atoms. One finds both saturated (decanal) and a,ß unsaturated (trans -2-tridecenal) aldehyds; the same aldehyds appear in the unripe fruits. Similar compounds occur in a few other spices and herbs, all of which share coriander’s flavour: Examples include long coriander long coriander, Vietnamese coriander and the Japanese chemotype of chameleon plant.

:: Uses:

Added to stews and marinades for a Mediterranean flavor, very famous spice for most oriental dishes.

:: Availability : Seeds, Leaves