Coriander: uses, preparations and traditional reputation

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Coriander is two ingredients in one plant: the fresh leaves, bright and citrus-sharp, and the ripe seeds, warm and faintly orange-scented. The leaves belong to the salad bowl and the soup pot; the seeds belong to the spice jar and the teapot. This page covers which part to use, how to prepare each one, what herbal tradition credits them with, and who should be careful.

What it is credited with

Tradition treats the leaf and the seed as two separate remedies. Here is what each is given credit for, and by whom.

• Seeds, after meals. Herbalists have long recommended an infusion of crushed coriander seed for heaviness after eating, bloating and trapped wind.
• Seeds, for a sluggish appetite. European kitchen medicine placed coriander among the aromatic seeds served at the end of a meal to settle the stomach and wake the appetite for the next one.
• Seeds, in the evening. Naturopathy credits a warm seed infusion with helping the body unwind and settle at bedtime, usually blended with chamomile or lime blossom.
• Whole plant, as a tonic. Coriander has a traditional reputation as a gentle stimulant, taken when energy feels low and flat.
• Seeds, in folk practice. Medieval European herbals valued coriander for what they described as its antibacterial and antifungal qualities, which is part of why it travelled so widely as a preserving spice.
• Essential oil, diluted. Aromatherapy uses coriander seed oil, well diluted in a carrier oil, in massage blends for tight, tired muscles.
• Fresh leaves, at the table. The leaves are eaten as a food rather than a remedy, and are valued for their vitamin content and their antioxidant compounds.

How to use it

Infusion of seeds — the everyday preparation

• Crush a teaspoon of dried seeds lightly with the back of a spoon or in a mortar. Crushing matters: whole seeds give up very little.
• Pour a large cup of just-boiled water over them.
• Cover the cup — the aromatic compounds leave with the steam — and leave for 10 minutes.
• Strain and drink after a meal, up to two or three cups across the day.
• Taste: sweet, warm, mildly orangey. It needs no sugar; a slice of lemon suits it.
• Traditional use runs to a week or two at a time rather than continuously.

Digestive blend

• Mix equal parts crushed coriander seed, fennel seed and caraway seed.
• Use one teaspoon of the mix per cup, infused covered for 10 minutes.
• Keep the blend in a jar out of the light and grind only what you need.

Fresh leaves

• Add them off the heat, at the very last moment: cooking destroys the aroma within a minute.
• Scatter over soups, lentils, grilled fish, curries, salsas and noodle salads.
• Blend a large handful with garlic, lime, oil and a green chilli for a fresh chutney.
• Stalks are not waste — chop them finely and start the dish with them.

Seeds in cooking

• Dry-toast the seeds in a pan for a minute until fragrant, then grind. This is the single step that changes everything.
• They are a backbone of curry blends, ras el hanout and couscous spicing, and they flavour certain digestive liqueurs and the classic Carmelite water.
• Ground coriander loses its perfume fast: grind small amounts often.

Tincture and oil

• Tincture: crushed seeds covered in spirit, sealed, left in a dark cupboard for three to four weeks, shaken every few days, then strained. Taken drop by drop in a little water.
• Essential oil: for external use only, always diluted in a vegetable carrier oil, a few drops for a massage blend. Never swallowed, never applied neat.

Growing it at home

• Full sun or half-shade; half-shade helps delay bolting in hot climates.
• Sandy, well-drained, fertile soil that stays cool.
• Check water needs often in warm weather, and daily for pots and window boxes.
• Pick leaves from the outside of the plant and let the centre keep growing.

Frequently Asked Questions

The one thing to remember: crush a teaspoon of coriander seeds, infuse them covered in a cup of hot water for 10 minutes, and drink it after a heavy meal.

Leaves or seeds — which one should I use?

They are not interchangeable. The fresh leaves are a food: chop them raw over finished dishes for their bright, citrus flavour and their vitamin and antioxidant content. The seeds are the part herbal tradition turns to for after-meal comfort, taken as an infusion.

Why does coriander taste like soap to me?

A proportion of people perceive the fresh leaf as soapy, and it is down to how their senses register certain aroma compounds in the leaf. If that is you, the seeds are worth trying anyway — they taste completely different, warm and faintly of orange peel.

How long can I drink coriander seed infusion for?

Traditional use keeps it to a course of a week or two, a couple of cups a day, rather than an indefinite daily habit. If the discomfort you are treating keeps returning, that is a sign to get it looked at rather than to keep going.

Can I use coriander essential oil on my skin?

Only diluted in a vegetable carrier oil, and only externally. Never swallow it and never apply it neat. Patch-test on the inner forearm first, and skip it entirely during pregnancy, while breastfeeding, and for young children.

When do I harvest the seeds from my own plants?

Let a few plants run to flower and then to seed. Cut the heads when they have turned beige, from late summer to early autumn, and hang them upside down in a paper bag to finish drying. Shake the bag and the seeds fall free.

This information is provided for general interest and reflects the traditional use of plants. It is not a substitute for medical advice. If you are on medication, pregnant, or in any doubt, ask a healthcare professional.