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Long Coriander
Basic Information:
Eryngium foetidum is a tropical perennial herb in the family Apiaceae. Common names include culantro (/kuːˈlɑːntroʊ/ or /kuːˈlæntroʊ/), recao, shadow beni, Mexican coriander, bhandhania, long coriander, sawtooth coriander, and ngò gai.[2][3] It is native to Mexico, the Caribbean, Central and South America, but is cultivated worldwide, sometimes being grown as an annual in temperate climates.
In the United States, the common name culantro sometimes causes confusion with cilantro, a common name for the leaves of Coriandrum sativum (also in Apiaceae), of which culantro is said to taste like a stronger
Culinary
E. foetidum is widely used in seasoning, marinating and garnishing in the Caribbean, particularly in Cuba, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Trinidad and Tobago, Panama, Guyana, Suriname, and in Ecuador and Peru‘s Amazon regions. It is used extensively in Cambodia, Thailand, India, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar and other parts of Asia as a culinary herb.[5] It dries well, retaining good color and flavor, making it valuable in the dried herb industry. It is sometimes used as a substitute for coriander, but it has a much stronger taste.
In the United States, E. foetidum grows naturally in Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.[6]
Nutrition, Traditional Use and Research
The statements below describe nutrition facts, traditional use and published research. They are not health claims for our products.
- Culantro (Eryngium foetidum; long coriander, ketumbar Jawa, inggu in Batak) is a culinary herb with a strong, coriander-like aroma. It is used fresh in soups, curries, stews, chutneys, rice and fish dishes in Caribbean, Latin American and Asian cuisines. Fresh leaves are traditionally chewed to freshen the breath.
- According to the scientific literature, culantro leaves contain essential oils, phenolic compounds and vitamins such as riboflavin (vitamin B2). Riboflavin contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism and to the protection of cells from oxidative stress.
- Ethnobotanical surveys document that culantro is used in folk practice in Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa and Asia for a very wide range of complaints, usually as an infusion, decoction or paste. These are traditional uses only. They have not been confirmed by sufficient scientific evidence, and culantro is not a replacement for medical care.
- Laboratory studies have examined leaf extracts of culantro for antimicrobial activity, and animal studies have examined it in relation to blood sugar and inflammation. These are early findings, and no health effect in people can be concluded from them.
- Traditional sources report that medicinal preparations of culantro, especially from the roots or the whole plant, may provoke uterine contractions. Pregnant women should therefore avoid medicinal use; as a seasoning in normal food amounts it is widely eaten.
Culinary uses
- Fresh leaves are used as a flavoring in food, e.g. in soups, curries, stews, rice and fish dishes.
- Tender young leaves are eaten raw or cooked, as a vegetable.
- Aromatic herb is used to increase taste in various curries.
- It is also used to add in chutneys, torka etc. for its attractive flavor and taste.
- Leaves can be steamed and served with rice.
- Root is used as a flavoring in soups.
- Seed is used as a flavoring.
- Leaves are used to season meat and other foods in Caribbean, Latin American and Asian cuisines.
- In Latin America, the leaves are often added to salsas, a spicy, tomato-based sauce that is eaten with tortilla chips.)
- Cilantro leaves can be used to prepare a variety salsas, gravies, barbecued foods and even appetizing drinks.
- Fresh leaves can be used in salad.
Fun Facts:
- Most people perceive the taste of coriander leaves as a tart, lemon/lime taste, but a smaller group of about 4–14% of people tested think the leaves taste like dish soap, linked to a gene, which detects some specific aldehydes that are also used as odorant substances in many soaps and detergents
- Its name comes from the Greek word koris, meaning a stink bug.
- Seventeenth century Frenchmen used distilled coriander to make a type of liquor.
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eryngium_foetidum
https://www.healthbenefitstimes.com/culantro/
Good source for the contend:
http://www.conscientiabeam.com/pdf-files/oth/2/jasr%20pp.%20410-426.pdf
http://justfunfacts.com/interesting-facts-about-coriander/