Traditions with coriander
Coriander gives two ingredients: the fresh leaves, called cilantro in the Americas, and the dried seeds, which have a citrus-like warmth.
Coriander gives two ingredients: the fresh leaves, called cilantro in the Americas, and the dried seeds, which have a citrus-like warmth. Both are used widely, from Thai salsas and Indian chutneys to Mexican guacamole and Georgian walnut sauce, and the seeds appear in the garam masala of India, in the Middle Eastern dukkah and in European sausages. It is one of the oldest cultivated herbs, and traditions of every continent include it. These pages describe where, and why.
Where it is used
In India, fresh coriander tops biryani, chaat and chutney, and the seeds are the main part of many spice blends. In Mexico, cilantro is a garnish for tacos and soups, in Georgia it is in the green sauces of the supra, in Thailand it is pounded with roots in curry pastes and in Egypt the seeds are in the dukkah and falafel. In Portugal, it is the herb of the Alentejo.
What it means
Coriander is a herb of freshness and festivity. In the Passover tradition of some communities, it is eaten as one of the bitter herbs, and in Indian homes a bunch is bought daily at the market. Some people find the leaves taste soapy, a trait linked to genes, and cooks often ask guests. The plant's long history across Asia, Europe and Africa shows how food customs travel.
Written by the EveryParampara desk with AI assistance. Background on Coriander (spice). Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.
🇹🇳 Nabeul, Tunisia and 4 moreHarissaهريسة
A spicy chili pepper paste from Tunisia, used as a condiment and ingredient across North Africa.Table custom · Dinner
🇮🇳 India and 1 moreDhanterasधनतेरस (Hindi), धनत्रयोदशी (Sanskrit)
The first day of Diwali, a festival of lamps, health and wealth kept across India and Nepal.Festival
🇮🇳 Goa, IndiaGudi Padwaगुढी पाडवा
A spring festival marking the new year for Marathi and Konkani Hindus in Maharashtra and Goa.Festival
🇮🇳 India and 1 moreLakshmi Pujaलक्ष्मीपूजा
A Hindu festival of lamps, prayers and offerings welcoming the goddess of prosperitySpiritual · Sweets given and shared
🇦🇷 Argentina and 4 moreAsado
A slow fire, a grill and a shared table: how people gather to cook and eat meatTable custom · Feasts and festival meals
🇮🇳 IndiaSadyaസദ്യ
A vegetarian feast from Kerala, served on a banana leaf at Onam, Vishu and weddingsTable custom · Lunch
🇪🇨 Quito, EcuadorFanesca
Ecuador's Holy Week soup of grains, beans and salt cod, made for Good FridayTable custom · Lunch
🇮🇳 India and 2 morePehlwani
A traditional discipline of clay-pit wrestling across the Indian subcontinent.Game
🇻🇳 Saigon, Vietnam and 5 moreBánh mì
A Vietnamese baguette sandwich filled with meats, pickles, herbs, and condiments.Table custom · Breakfast
🇻🇳 Hanoi, Vietnam and 5 morePhophở
A Vietnamese noodle soup of broth and rice noodles, served hot with beef or chicken.Table custom · Breakfast
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Sadya: Augustus Binu / facebook, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Pehlwani: Prasanna Revan aka. Prasannare at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Dhanteras: The original uploader was F16 at Hebrew Wikipedia ., CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Gudi Padwa: Abhijit Tembhekar, CC BY 2.0, source
- Bánh mì: Andrea Nguyen, CC BY 2.0, source
- Lakshmi Puja: Subharnab Majumdar, CC BY 2.0, source
- Harissa: Ovva olfa, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Pho: Phương Huy, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Asado: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 2.5, source
- Fanesca: Agencia de Noticias ANDES, CC BY-SA 2.0, source