FOOD:It's a love-it-or-hate-it type of herb, but these coriander recipes might convert the sceptics
‘PARSLEY, SAGE, ROSEMARY and thyme” tra-la-lahed those Simon and Garfunkel fellas, but no mention of coriander. And why not? Maybe Scarborough Fair wasn’t fusion enough, and let’s be honest, coriander doesn’t rhyme too easily. Or maybe, just maybe (like many people I know), the boys weren’t too fond of coriander. It’s definitely one of those flavours that’s a little like goats’ cheese in that it’s an acquired taste.
When you look for information about herbs, you come across a wealth of information that encompasses everything from medicinal folklore (and in most cases, medicinal facts) to provenance. It always amazes me to think that some of these herbs have been on the planet for eons and have been cultivated throughout history. When I look at a tree that is hundreds of years old, I get the same feeling. What has that 700-year-old oak tree witnessed? If only trees could talk. That may seem ridiculously naive and rather childish, but it is humbling to think that these plants will be here well after we’ve come and gone. Just think about the fact that a herb we can buy bags of in our local store has been written about in the Bible and found in ancient tombs.
Coriander has even been used for the relief of anxiety and insomnia in Iranian folk medicine, and experiments in mice support its use as something that gives relief from anxiety. Coriander seeds are also used as a diuretic in traditional Indian medicine, by boiling equal amounts of coriander seeds and cumin seeds, then cooling and consuming the resulting liquid. I haven’t tried it yet, but may do so, and will keep you posted. It sounds similar to an Iranian concoction that I have heard about that’s made by boiling up lemons and about five heads of garlic to make a tonic that’s meant to be fantastic at keeping colds and flu at bay. Mind you, I bet you’d stink so badly of garlic that you’d never come into contact with anyone, hence the possibility of getting a cold is somewhat diminished.
Here are two recipes that are jam-packed with coriander (or cilantro as the Yankees would say). But, needless to say, if you have not acquired any sort of fondness for the herb, feel free to substitute some flat-leaf parsley, mint or basil. Look out Simon and Garfunkel, I feel a song coming on . . .
Coriander chicken (serves 4)
200g Greek yoghurt (half of a big tub)
1 tsp salt
pepper
Juice of two limes or lemons
1 tsp coriander seeds, lightly crushed
1 big bunch of coriander (25g approx)
4 skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
Olive oil
Mix the yoghurt with the salt, pepper, lime or lemon juice and coriander seeds. The easiest way to crush them (if you don’t have a pestle and mortar) is to put them in a cup and squish them with one end of a rolling pin. Roughly chop the fresh coriander and mix it in with the yoghurt. Add the chicken and mix well. If you can marinate this for anything from one hour to overnight, it’ll be much better. Turn your grill up to high and spread the chicken onto a baking tray or roasting tin. Drizzle it with some olive oil and grill, turning the chicken occasionally as the yoghurt chars quite easily. When it is cooked through, serve hot or warm. It is also delicious served cold in sandwiches the next day.
Chickpea and coriander salad (serves 4-6 as a side dish)
2 tins of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
200ml of olive oil, approximately
2 red onions, peeled and very finely sliced
5 garlic cloves, peeled and very finely sliced
Salt and pepper
2 red chillies, seeded and finely chopped
250g feta or goats’ cheese, roughly chopped
Bunch of spring onions, finely chopped
Bunch of coriander, parsley, mint or basil (about 50g in total)
Juice of one lemon
Heat half of the olive oil and sweat the red onions and garlic for about five minutes until they are soft, then add the red chillies. Allow to cool, then season this oil very well with salt and pepper. In a large bowl, mix the onion and oil mixture with the chickpeas, spring onions and herbs. Add the lemon juice, mix well and season again. Add some more of the remaining 100ml of olive oil if you want to make it more luscious and sloppy and then add the cheese and mix carefully. Check the seasoning again and serve.
dkemp@irishtimes.com
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