Cilantro/Coriander Root

[jogoode]

I've been making a some Thai food lately with my new mortar and pestle -- though I'm still working up to attempting a curry paste.

Probably a silly question, but many of the recipes I have call for cilantro root -- is this simply the little root I see when I buy cilantro at the market?

What other cuisines use the root and how do they use it? Why is it preferable in some recipes to the leaves or stems?

[snowangel]

Yes, that is cilantro root. At the local Asian markets in the Twin Cities, cilantro is almost always sold with the root. It has a stronger cilantro taste. I'm not sure if it's used in other cuisines, but I always include it in larb and most Thai dishes that call for cilantro. I also put it in salsa, but I don't know if that's typical or just me not wanting to waste those tasty morsels.

[Suzanne F]

The Australian books* I've been working on called for cilantro root in the original. I'm not sure if they still do, since it is not always easy to find. But if you buy them, ask me and I'll find the original recipes to check.

But if you do get a bunch of cilantro with the roots attached, just cut off the hairs, clean the rest well, and use it whole to flavor broths or mush it up in spice pastes.

*The one that's out already is 501 Low-Carb Recipes, brought out by Elizabeth House, with Pamela Clark as the author. Coming next will be 501 30-Minute Meals, and possibly a couple of others as well (which I didn't work on).

[jogoode]

Not that this is necessarily significant, but the Thai book I cook from is by an Australian author, David Thompson.

The cilantro I buy comes with the roots attached, and I have for years been throwing them out! I'll have to go with your strategy, snowangel, and use them whenever I can.

[ScooterQ]

The only recipe I've ever read that called for Cilantro root was a Thai grilled chicken recipe from "Hot, Sour, Salty, Sweet". It looked really good, so I scoured markets and stores and got on the phone to find some of the root. No dice. Not even at the Berkeley Bowl. I had to grow it in my backyard . . . . but it was pretty tasty.

[Rachel Perlow]

I had to grow it in my backyard.

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Excellent solution.

[Chris Amirault]

In the thread on extra corn, prasantrin mentioned the difficulty of finding cilantro with roots attached. Since I can have the same problem -- and since I think it's a problem because those woody little roots are heavenly -- I thought I'd start a thread.

What do you use cilantro/coriander root for? I find that it has a completely different character than the leaves, more intensely floral. In pounded Thai curry pastes, it makes a remarkable difference.

Also, does anyone know why it's so hard to find it with roots attached? This seems counterintuitive to me. It's even hit-or-miss to find it that way at the Asian grocers in town.

[Syrah]

Why don't you try growing it?? It is reputably easy to grow, I have never tried because I am not a fan at all.

[Ruth]

Why don't you try growing it?? It is reputably easy to grow, I have never tried because I am not a fan at all.

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Oriental markets invariably sell cilantro with roots attached. Most non-Asians would have no interest in using the roots which are an important ingredient especially in Thai curry pastes.

Alas, it is not easy to grow as the plants bolt very quickly. I have to confess that I do not have a very green thumb but most of the herbs in my back yard do just fine but I have never had much luck with cilantro.

[Kim D]

I saw cilantro with the roots at my local Dominick's (near DePaul University).

I've tried growing cilantro but have never had success. Earlier this year, I was told that it needs to grow in part shade and needs a lot of water. I tried that but I have no idea if that works or not. The squirrels kept digging it up and throwing it out of the pot.

- kim

[Chris Amirault]

Why don't you try growing it?? It is reputably easy to grow, I have never tried because I am not a fan at all.

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Pretty simple to grow, but the roots tend to be very woody, too woody to use.

Oriental markets invariably sell cilantro with roots attached.

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Actually, as I wrote above, several the Asian markets that I frequent haven't been keeping the roots attached. I really don't understand why that is....

[Syrah]

Why don't you try growing it?? It is reputably easy to grow, I have never tried because I am not a fan at all.

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Pretty simple to grow, but the roots tend to be very woody, too woody to use.

Oh.. I wonder why that would be. I have heard that they freeze well so if you do manage to find some with no immediate use that could be an option.

[percyn]

What timing Chris...some of the items mentioned in my blog such as the studiokitchen dishes and the breakfast following use cilantro stems and root.

I sometimes find the cilantro with the roots attached at Wegmans or at a local Asian market (it is common in Asian countries to cook with the bottom 2 inches of cilantro, including the roots).

[anzu]

I'm lucky that most of the Asian groceries in this country cater predominantly to Thai customers, and always sell cilantro with the roots attached.

One reason for selling the leaves without the roots could be that, in some cases, the roots are actually being sold separately to Thai restaurants. This is just a guess, based on the fact that here in Germany cilantro roots are sometimes sold alone, without the leaves, to Thai customers.

Otherwise, I think they are supposing that no-one has any use for them and that the bunch looks 'cleaner' without the roots. They will also wilt more rapidly, generating increased sales.

Can you find out if any Asian grocery you visit caters more to Thai customers? (There must be some, surely?)

Or maybe even phone some Thai restuarants and ask them where they are making their purchases?

As far as growing your own is concerned: I've done it several times, with results ranging from overwhelmingly successful - basically thickets of the stuff - to very meager and sparse growth. All in similar growing conditions. So if you try once, and it doesn't grow well, don't give up straight away.

The softest roots I obtained when growing them myself was when I sowed the cilantro in very low-lying soil. It was almost waterlogged. The cilantro grew more rapidly than other times, and the roots were softer.

[Chris Amirault]

Can you find out if any Asian grocery you visit caters more to Thai customers? (There must be some, surely?)

Or maybe even phone some Thai restuarants and ask them where they are making their purchases?

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Smart ideas, anzu! The shop I usually visit caters more to Cambodian and Vietnamese, but I know a couple of places that are more geared to Thai cooking. I also know one owner and should just ask him if he'll save some for me. He's probably trimming them, right?

[snowangel]

At my asian market (largely Thai/Hmong), they sell either with roots on or roots off. The stuff with roots off is usually about a dime cheaper. And, at the farmer's market, some vendors trim the roots, others sell it root on. I'd bet they are hording those roots for themselves!

I like mincing up some roots to add to larb.

[snowangel]

The first photo here shows an awesome display of cilantro roots.

[eje]

Whether Cilantro plants (Coriandrum sativum) bolt is influenced both by length of days and heat.

Depending on your climate, it probably pays to stagger seeding the plants if you want a continuous supply. There are also varieties available which are a little slower growing and somewhat less prone to bolting. Look for "Slow Bolt" or "Santo" varieties.

The plants have a long tap root (they are in the same family with parsley, carrots, and celery) and don't transplant all that well.

Even if you can keep them from bolting quickly, cilantro plants are fairly short lived annuals which will go from germination to flower in 6-8 weeks.

If you live in a very hot climate, you might try growing its relative Saw Leaf Herb or Culantro (Eryngium foetidum). Some folks even suggest growing the unrelated and somewhat weedy Vietnamese Cilantro or Rau Ram (Persicaria odoratum) as a substitute; but, I think it has a pretty different flavor.

-Erik

[Chris Amirault]

Here's a question for the folks who can't stand that soapy flavor in cilantro leaves (you know, the one that the rest of us can't taste). Do the roots have the same soapy flavor?

[Ninjai Fanatic]

Interesting.. certain times of the year I can get a kilo of fresh cilantro (with the roots, etc) for $1.05, the rest of the year it's at about $1.80.

I never tried using the roots before, I think it's high time I did!

[Syrah]

Here's a question for the folks who can't stand that soapy flavor in cilantro leaves (you know, the one that the rest of us can't taste). Do the roots have the same soapy flavor?

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I'll happily eat Thai curries and I am almost positive they use the roots in that, so I would say no it doesn't have that same "buggy" taste that the leaves do.

[Kerry Beal]

Bumping this thread - having discovered cilantro roots a couple of months back. It was called for in the Tom Kha recipe by David Thompson and of course I had to use all the ingredients the first time I made it.

I hate the soapy flavour of cilantro, I use coriander seed when required but I'm not a huge fan of the heartburn it seems to give me.

But cilantro root is something else! An indescribably wonderful flavour. Hard to believe the 3 items come from the same plant.

[BadRabbit]

I have a bunch of cilantro I'm about to pull up because it is about to bolt. I'm just going to replant the pot. I'm not going to be cooking at home for the next week (I'll be out of town).

Can I take the root and make it into a paste that will last for a while?

For example, could I just add water and thai green curry powder and keep it in the fridge?

Edited May 31, 2011 by BadRabbit (log)

[djyee100]

The roots will keep for a long time in the fridge, no need to make a paste. Trim off most of the stems, maybe leaving 1" or less of the stems attached to the root. Wrap the root in a paper towel, enclose it in a plastic bag, & stick it in the fridge. I've kept cilantro roots for a couple weeks or more this way.