[ojosverdes]

I posted this somewhere else too but just realized it would be better here...
I am hoping someone can set the record strait once and for all. I want to know if cilantro and coriander are really one in the same. At the moment I live in Germany and while the coriander here looks like cilantro, it has a very different scent and flavor. The websites I have looked up so far say they are same so I have either completely lost my taste buds or maybe there really is a slight difference. Does anyone have an answer for me? Thank you to anyone who might be able to help.

[cape chef]

Cilantro is the "herb" (leaves) as Coriander is the "seed" of the plant.

Cilantro is an herb, coriander is a spice. They are both from the same species.

[KeeperOfTheGood]

Hey oh

http://www.uni-graz.at/~katzer/engl/...?Cori_sat.html

http://www.uni-graz.at/~katzer/engl/...?Eryn_foe.html

Essentially it is a matter of cultivars. Seads being important for corriander, and leaves being important for cilantro. So, scrawny leaved plants with spindly stems and large clusters of large seads on the corriander plants, and big full leaves on the cilantro plants. Same plant, different cultivar is all.

[chrose]

Coriander happens when you allow Cilantro to go to seed. I had beautiful Cilantro growing last year and I allowed it to go to seed. Eventually the leaves shrunk away and I was left with a ton of Coriander seeds. This year I plan to control my Cilantro. I would rather have Cilantro all summer than Coriander all year!

[thetincook]

Keep in mind that the growing condition's and age of harvest will all change the flavor. Here in Los Angeles I have gone to the same market, and at different times and have gotten cilantro's that have tasted a little different at times. Typically they varied in strength of flavor and aroma.

Also they might be growing different strains of corriender/cilantro herb.

[ojosverdes]

Thanks to everyone who replied. It is so nice to hear from people who know what they are talking about. Have a great day!!

[MarkV]

Cilantro’s nomenclature is somewhat confusing. The entire plant and the seeds are properly named coriander, while the leaves alone are cilantro. Colloquially, the entire plant and leaves are referred to as cilantro and only the seeds as coriander.

Chrose:

I grow cilantro every year. In fact, I just bought an entire flat of it yesterday. I don't mind ending up with the seeds but I would like the leaves to last longer. How can you control it that you will get leaves all year?

Mark

[phoebe]

Originally Posted by MarkV

I grow cilantro every year. In fact, I just bought an entire flat of it yesterday. I don't mind ending up with the seeds but I would like the leaves to last longer. How can you control it that you will get leaves all year?

Mark

The only way I know of--and I've yet to be really successful at this--is to sow seeds every week or two, so once one batch is used up or bolting, the next one is ready.

[chrose]

Mark I'm actually a neophyte at growing Cilantro so I defer to Phoebe....however what I'm going to try this time is to not let them seed and to keep pulling leaves. Also I will be using the Alaska Bountea system so we'll see what if anything that does to it as well.

[Andy M.]

To further confuse the issue, I have noticed in recipes that originate in Europe, cilantro is often referred to as coriander leaves or simply as coriander.

[MarkV]

Alaska Bountea system??????????????

[chrose]

Originally Posted by MarkV

Alaska Bountea system??????????????

www.alaskabountea.com
Also see my threads in the Chefs Garden for more info.

[shahar]

for extra confusion cilantro is sometimes called chinese parsly. especially in older books. Like circa 1950.

[Suzanne]

So the upshot of all this is: You have to figure out from the context of the recipe whether it's calling for
whole or ground coriander seeds -- usually measured in teaspoons or tablespoons and added before cooking as a spice;
or
cilantro / coriander leaves / Chinese parsley -- measured in [fractions of] cups or tablespoons, often described as "chopped" or "minced" and used raw, and often added at or near the end as a garnish.

Either one might be added to a marinade, but you can take your cue from the amount and form.

Hope this helps clear up some of the confusion.

But now, to make it even more complicated: don't confuse cilantro with CULANTRO, which is a different herb entirely. Culantro is used in Latin American cooking, and I doubt it's common in Germany. I mean, it isn't even all that easy to get in my local stores catering to Central Americans and Caribbean Hispanics.

[mudbug]

Originally Posted by KeeperOfTheGood

Essentially it is a matter of cultivars. Seads being important for corriander, and leaves being important for cilantro. So, scrawny leaved plants with spindly stems and large clusters of large seads on the corriander plants, and big full leaves on the cilantro plants. Same plant, different cultivar is all.

This is incorrect. In the case of your description, the seed and foilage come from the same cultivar

Your links are for entirely different species of plants.

Most cookbooks or recipes geared toward Americans will be refer to the definition of "Cilantro" as the foilage of the plant (Coriandrum sativum) and "Corriander" as the seed the Coriandrum sativum plant creates.

Cilantro


Corriander


There are many similar plants. Suzanne mentioned Culantro (Mexican Cilantro) is pronounced (Koo lan tro). There is also Vietnamese Cilantro, an entirely different herb but similar in taste.

Here are terms for "American" Cilantro in other countries:

Albanian
Koriandër e kultivuar

Amharic
Dimbilal

Arabic
Kuzbara, Kazbarah

Armenian
Kinj

Bengali
Dhoney

Bulgarian
Koriandur

Burmese
Nan nan zee (fruits), Nan nan bin (herb), Naunau

Catalan
Celiàndria, Coriandre

Chinese
Yan Shi, Fan Yan Sui, Yuen sai, Wan-Swee, heong choy(herb), Hu sui (fruits)

Croatian
Korijandar

Czech
Koriandr

Danish
Coriander

Dutch
Ketoembar, Koriander

English
Coriander, Chinese parsley, Indian parsley (herb)

Esperanto
Koriandro

Estonian
Aedkoriander, Koriander

Farsi
Geshniz

Finnish
Korianteri

French
Coriandre, Punaise mâle, Persil arabe

Gaelic
Coireiman, Lus a choire

Georgian
Khinji

German
Koriander, Wanzenkümmel, Chinesische Petersilie, Indische Petersilie (herb)

Greek
?????????, ?????????, ?????????

*
Koliandro, Koriantro, Koriandro

Gujrati
Dhane, Dhana (fruits), Kothmir (herb)

Hebrew
Gad, Kusbara

Hindi
Dhania , dhanya(fruits), Hara dhania (herb)

Hungarian
Koriander, Cigánypetrezselyem, Beléndf?, Zergef?

Icelandic
Kóríander

Indonesian
Ketumbar (fruits), Daun ketumbar (herb)

Italian
Coriandolo

Japanese
Koyendoro, Koendoro (herb)

Latvian
Kinzas, Koriandrs

Laotian
hong pomn

Lithuanian
Kalendra

Kannada
Havija, Kambari

Khmer
Vannsui, Chi van-suy

Laotian
Phak hom pom, phak hom pam (herb)

Malay
Ketumbar (fruits), Daun ketumbar, Wansui (herb), Penjilang

Malayalam
Kottamalli

Marathi
Dhanya, Dhane (fruits), Kothimbir (herb)

Norwegian
Koriander

Pahlawi
Gishniiz

Pashto
Gashneez

Polish
Kolendra siewna

Portuguese
Coentro

Romanian
Coriandru

Russian
Kinza, Kishnets (herb); Koriandr (fruits)

Sanskrit
Dhaniyaka, Kustumburi

Singhalese
Kotthamallie

Slovak
Koriander

Slovenian
Koriander

Spanish
Coriandro, Cilantro, Cilandrio, Culantro

Swahili
Giligilani

Swedish
Koriander

Tagalog
Kulantro, Unsuey, Wansuey, Uan-soi (herb)

Tamil
Kothamalli

Telugu
Dhaniyalu, Kotimiri

Thai
Pak chi met, Phak hom, Phak Cheethai (herb), Mellet pak chi (fruits)

Tibetan
Sona pentsom, So na pad tshom

Turkish
Ki?ni?, Ki?nic

Ukrainian
Koriandr posyvnyj

Urdu
Dhania

Vietnamese
Mui, Ngo, Ngo ta, Ngò Rí(herb)