The Pantry / Fresh coriander
Fresh coriander
Coriandrum sativum · dhania patta · cilantro
The green that finishes almost everything.
What it is
Fresh coriander is the bright, soft green leaf of the same plant that gives coriander seed — but a completely different ingredient: clean, citrusy, faintly soapy to some, and used fresh as a finishing herb rather than a cooked spice. Stalks and roots carry flavour too.
Where it comes from
Used across the whole subcontinent and much of the world as the standard fresh-herb garnish. Whether people taste it as fresh or soapy is partly genetic — a real and harmless divide.
What it's called
Fresh coriander · dhania patta / hara dhania (Hindi) · cilantro (US). The seed is a separate ingredient. Botanically Coriandrum sativum.
In the kitchen
Chopped and scattered over a finished dish, blended into green chutney, stirred into salads and raitas. Added at the end so it stays bright; the tender stalks are as usable as the leaves. It is the near-default garnish of the region.
What we know about the claims
A fresh herb with the minor vitamin and antioxidant content of any leafy green; eaten in small amounts as garnish. Wholesome.
Choosing and buying
Sold fresh in every shop (UK and US). Choose bright, unwilted bunches; keep stalks-down in water. Dried coriander leaf is a poor substitute.