All About Coriander | Know Your Spice Dhaniya (Coriandrum sativum)

Coriandrum sativum, known as coriander, is native to & today it is cultivated widely in Central and Eastern Europe, the Mediterranean, North Africa, China, India, & Bangladesh.

Coriander was known as far back as 5000 BC and is mentioned in the Bible in Exodus 16:31. The use of the seeds at burials was recorded in 1550 BC.

Folklore says it was grown in Persia 3,000 years ago and used to fragrance the hanging gardens of Babylon.

Its use by the Romans and by Hippocrates and other Greek physicians is documented. The Chinese have cultivated coriander since the fourth century.

Its use in India and Europe dates back to ancient times. The name ‘coriandrum’ is derived from koros, a bug, referring to the disagreeable fetid smell of the leaves.

Coriander seeds were found in the tombs of Egyptian pharaoh Ramses II and used in ancient Egypt as ‘secret of happiness’ (an aphrodisiac).

In history of Hebrews, the seed was considered as a gift from God and was added to drinks during Passover and was used by Hippocrates as a healing herb.

Pliny mentioned that the highest quality coriander to be found in Italy was that which was grown in Egypt.

Late Bronze Age invaders introduced coriander into Britain. The invaders used coriander to flavour their barley gruel.

The British mixed coriander with cumin and vinegar and used to preserve meat. Farmers in the Essex, England region refer to coriander by the name of Col.

Coriander seeds or Sookha dhaniya is an important Indian spice that not only makes your food delicious but has numerous health benefits.

• It is extensively used across various regional cuisines to flavour curries, stir fries, snacks.
• Coriander is an essential part of curry powder and and is a part of most Indian spice blends.
• In Ayurveda, it is often recommended for stomach related ailments, as it is known to ease digestion.
• Dhaniya seeds are quite effective in curing different skin ailments like eczema, itchy skin, rashes and inflammation as they have antiseptic properties.
• In food, coriander leaves are often used whole, whereas the seeds are used dried or ground.
• Coriander seed contains an extremely high level of dodecenal which is a compound that fights a bacterium called salmonella, with more efficiency than an antibiotic.
• Chopped leaves and powdered coriander are used for garnishing various food items in India.
• Early research suggests that putting 6% coriander oil on the skin helps to improve symptoms of athlete’s foot.

There is much dis­agree­ment about the flavour of co­riander leaves, roots and un­ripe fruits. There are two camps – those who like it and those who do not.

• Uncooked coriander seeds – warm, nutty and spicy
• Cooked coriander seeds – when the seeds are dry roasted, the warm flavour become more nutty and spicy & somewhat or­ange-like.
• Fresh coriander leaves (Hara dhaniya) – fresh, green, tangy and even citrusy. However, many Europeans find it to be dis­pleas­ing, soapy, like burnt rubber or even like crushed bed­bugs.

• As a powder ¼- ½ teaspoon twice a day is recommended by Ayurveda.

Coriander is used as an Ayurvedic medicine used for several diseases of the digestive, respiratory, circulatory and reproductive system.

In Ayurveda, it is used because of its carminative, digestive stimulant, antacid, astringent, diuretic actions.

Rasa (Taste): Kashaya (Astringent), Tikta (Bitter))
Guna (Qualities): Laghu (Light to Digest), Snigdha (Unctuous, Oily)
Veerya (Potency): Ushna (Hot)
Vipaka (Taste conversion after digestion): Madhura (Sweet)
Karma (Actions): it balances all the three Doshas

Apart from significant health benefits of coriander, dhania lends its distinctive flavour to various Indian curries.

• Coriander is an essential part of curry powder, garam masala. bottle masala, sambhar podi.
• Chopped leaves and powdered coriander are used for garnishing various food items in India.
• Ethiopian berbere, which much resembles Indian spice mixtures, contains coriander fruits.
• Latin American cuisine makes much use of them.
• South Indian cuisine has a parti­cular af­finity to coriander fruits, which are usually toasted to a very dark colour.
• Use it to flavour South Indian vegetable curry, especially sambhar.
• Use it in Moroccan ras al-hanout (see cubeb pepper) and baharat (from the Gulf states).
• Coriander leaves are often used to add additional flavour to soups, salad and curry pastes in Thai cooking.
• In Southern Vietnam, chopped coriander leaves appear as decorations on nearly every dish, be it soup, noodles or even the French-introduced baguettes.

• Dried coriander seeds or sookha dhania – Dry roasted seeds work best for masalas, curries, vegetables, soups and salsas. Add this at the beginning of cooking.
• Dried coriander seeds powder or sookha dhaniya powder – Dhania powder is made with dry roasted dry coriander seeds and is used for curries, lentils, vegetables. Add it during middle part of the cooking.
• Green coriander or hara dhaniya – Fresh green coriander is used for garnishing or added directly to curries.

Coriander or Dhania is an entirely edible plant.

• Coriander leaves and stems –  are used widely in Asian and South American cuisines.
• Coriander seeds – or the dried fruit of the plant are classically used whole, crushed, or ground as a common spice ingredient in Indian and Middle Eastern dishes.
• Coriander roots – while not as widely used as the leaves and seeds, are sometimes found in Asian curries and soups, particularly in Thailand.
• Coriander flowers – European and American chefs are discovering the flowers for their subtle quality. Coriander flowers should always be used fresh, never dried.

• Whole coriander seeds – Whole coriander seeds will last in your pantry for up to 3 to 4 years.
• Ground coriander seeds – Ground coriander seeds kept in a cool, dark place and will last up to 6 months.
• Fresh coriander leaves – They will last you for almost a week in a refrigerator.

• Whole coriander seeds – In an airtight container stored in your pantry or even a refrigerator.
• Ground coriander seeds – In an airtight container stored in a cool & dry, dark place. Do not store the powder for long because coriander seeds powder or dhania powder tends to lose its flavour & potency very fast.
• Fresh coriander leaves or hara dhaniya – coriander wilts and goes limp or dry after three days. To store it well for more than a week, wash it and simply dry it. Place it between two paper towels and store in a plastic or glass container that goes into your refrigerator.

• Fresh coriander leaves or hara dhaniya – Replace the fresh coriander leaves called for in your recipe with an equal amount of fresh parsley, tarragon, dill, or a combination of the three.
• Coriander seeds – Replace the coriander seed or ground coriander called for in the recipe with an equal amount of caraway seeds, cumin, fennel, or a combination of the three.
• Coriander seeds powder or ground coriander – Substitute every teaspoon of coriander seed called for with 3/4 teaspoon of ground coriander.

Whole dried coriander seeds can be found packaged in the spice section of most grocery stores. Ground coriander or coriander powder is readily available at most grocery stores in the spice aisle.

Fresh coriander is usually found in the vegetables aisles of a grocery store.

Buy coriander seeds or sookha dhaniya (& powder) on Amazon: India | USA

Some of the health benefits of dhania or coriander seeds (Coriandrum sativum) are traditionally known for, including promoting digestion and reducing food-borne infections.

Others health benefits of dhaniya include promoting weight loss and improving blood sugar control and cholesterol.

• Health Benefits of Coriander Seeds as an Antioxidant -Dhaniya seeds possess many plant-derived chemical compounds. They are known to have antioxidant, disease-preventing, and health-promoting properties.
• Health Benefits of Dhania for Nutrition & Immunity – As in other spices, coriander is also rich in dietary fibre. 100 g seeds provide 41.9 g of fibre, much of this is metabolically inert insoluble content.
• Health Benefits of Coriander Seeds for Digestive Health – These tiny seeds are magical for all your intestinal issues including bloating, gastric, diarrhea, nausea etc. It is an all in one solution for almost all digestion related issues.
• Health Benefits of Dhaniya as an Anti Inflammatory – Cineole–one of the 11 components of the essential oils–as well as linoleic acid, are both present in coriander. They possess antirheumatic and antiarthritic properties which may help reduce the swelling
• Health Benefits of Coriander Seeds for Regulating Blood Pressure – Research in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology suggests that coriander may positively help lower blood pressure.
• Health Benefits of Dhania for Controlling Cholesterol – Coriander seed helps in reducing bad cholesterol and promotes good cholesterol in the body. 
• Health Benefits of Coriander Against Menstrual Pain – Coriander seeds contain natural stimulants that stimulate your endocrine glands to secrete and maintain proper hormonal balance, which ensures that the associated pain with the menstrual cycle is reduced, and excess flow is alleviated.
• Health Benefits of Dhaniya for Skin – The disinfectant, detoxifying, antiseptic, antifungal, and antioxidant properties of coriander may prove to be ideal for clearing up skin disorders such as eczema, dryness, and fungal infections.
• Health Benefits of Coriander for Healing Ulcers – Coriander oral extracts and essential oil have shown potential in treating colon inflammation. Research shows that the herb has anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties.
• Health Benefits of Dhania for Bone Health – As a rich source of calcium, coriander may be of great value for people who want to protect their bones.
• Health Benefits of Coriander as Eye Health Agent – Coriander is loaded with antioxidants and minerals, all of which can be beneficial to preventing vision disorders, macular degeneration, and reducing strain and stress on the eyes.