Coriander seed

These dried coriander seeds come from Italy, a country with an ancient coriander tradition, although you will hardly find the 'seeds' in traditional Italian cuisine.

There are two species of coriander, wild coriander (Coriandrum tordylium) and domesticated coriander (Coriandrum savitum). They resemble each other in many respects. Actually, nothing is known about their domestication—neither where nor how.

The small fruits of the coriander are round, sometimes oval, and recognizable by the longitudinal ribs: strongly pronounced primary ribs and less visible, wavy secondary ribs. In common usage, the small fruits are called seeds, coriander seed, although that is actually incorrect.

The fruits are in the order of 3 to 5 mm in size and have a citrusy flavor due to the terpenes linalool and pinene, which is also described as nutty or spicy. There is a correlation between the size of the fruits and the taste. The larger fruits often come from plants with only a few leaves, such as Moroccan coriander.

Scent and taste

The essential oil content of coriander seeds depends on the variety used and the freshness of the seeds, and can range from 20 to 28%. Around 70% of the oil is petroselic acid, which is also found in parsley seeds (78%) and celery seeds (64%). Additionally, coriander oil consists of 14% linoleic acid (C18:2) and 6% oleic acid (C18:1n-9).

The main flavor components of coriander seed are:

• linalol
• gamma-terpinene, sweet-spicy, citrus notes, as in caraway and eucalyptus,
• camphor
• alpha- and beta-pinene, woody pine scent, as in cumin, pine (pinecone), juniper and hemp,
• geraniol, rose scent, as in nutmeg, basil and siltimur, and
• geranyl acetate, responsible for the rose and lavender scent.

Usage

The fruits of the coriander are not edible. They are too hard and fibrous to be eaten—even after cooking. Therefore, they are removed from the dish after cooking, or ground or crushed beforehand. The seeds are preferably roasted to bring out the flavor more.

Coriander seed—the same applies to coriander powder—will not easily overpower other flavors, unlike the leaves. Some perceive buttery aromas in it. Overall, coriander seed tastes warm, sweet, and earthy, with notes of citrus (lemon peel) and the scent of flowers, such as cardamom.

Coriander seed is used in numerous dishes, often in combination with cumin. Examples of dishes with coriander seed include curries, pickled vegetables, soups, and stews. It is an ingredient in many spice blends in Indian and Indonesian cuisine, but the use of coriander seed is certainly not limited to Asian cuisines; it is also used in French cuisine, for example in ratatouille.

Features:

• 100% dried fruit pieces - average 3 mm - of the Coriandrum sativum
  
• origin: Italy

Assortment

• available in glass (45 grams) and stand-up pouch (various weight classes)
• larger quantities than shown on request

Save

• batch number **220339
• best before November 2027 (11-2027)