Two exciting ways to use Coriander

By Bethanie Patch

Image credit: Shutterstock.com

Two innovative ways to use coriander – spice up your drinks and meals with one easy herb!

Coriander is a divisive herb – some people absolutely love it and some people (like me) absolutely hate it. No matter which camp you’re in, coriander has some impressive health benefits and it is incredibly easy to grow at home.

Rich in immune-boosting antioxidants, coriander leaves are great to garnish soup or use in cold pasta salads, fresh tomato salsa, or Thai noodle dishes. However, if you’re like me and need some more exciting ways to incorporate it into your diet, I suggest these two delights.

These recipes include many ingredients that can be grown at home. If your urban farm is only just beginning to grow, we recommend visiting your local markets to buy produce.

Create an Indian mint and coriander dip

Ingredients

1 cup of fresh coriander leaves 1 cup of mint leaves 2 tsp of chopped green chillies 1.5 tsp of lemon juice ¾ tsp of roasted cumin seeds 8 almonds ½ tsp of salt ¼ tsp of asafoetida (if you don’t have this, you can substitute with same proportion of minced onion and garlic)

Method

Remove stems from the mint leaves. Chop and remove coriander's hard and thick stems from the back of the bunch (no need to pluck the leaves as soft stems of coriander can also be used!). Wash all the greens and chilies with enough water. Now add all the ingredients in a mixer jar and grind to make a smooth paste, add approx. 1/2 cup water while grinding if needed. Place the dip in a jar, cover and keep refrigerated. This dip easily stays fresh for minimum 2 weeks.

Coriander and Ginger Martini

Ingredients

35mL ginger syrup 100mL vodka 50mL lime juice 1 tsp coriander seeds, lightly toasted 10 coriander leaves

To create the ginger syrup:

7-8cm piece of ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped 3/4 cup superfine sugar 3/4 cup water 2 pieces crystallized ginger, for garnish

Ginger Syrup

To make the ginger syrup, place the ginger, sugar and water in a blender. Blitz for about 45 seconds, until fully combined. You will make about 1 1/4 cups of syrup, which can be kept in the fridge, or frozen, for future use.

Method

Place the ginger syrup in a cocktail shaker, along with all remaining ingredients and plenty of cubed ice. Shake hard for about 20 seconds, then double-strain (through a Hawthorne strainer and into a fine-mesh sieve) into two pre-chilled martini glasses. Garnish with a piece of crystallized ginger. Drink immediately 😊