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Aromatic herb
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Coriander is one of the basic plants grown in kitchen gardens
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THE FAMILY Umbelliferae, confined to the tropical regions of the world, provides many culinary herbs that are prized mainly for their aromatic fruits and leaves. Plants may be annual, biennial or perennial herbs.
Easy to grow
Coriandrum sativum, known as Kothmir, a small aromatic annual herb (30-40 cm high), is one of the oldest spices used for flavouring dishes and garnishing. It is extensively cultivated in all parts of the world for its aromatic seeds. It can be easily grown in your kitchen garden or in pots. Seeds are crushed and sown in loose, porous rich soil in partial light. The main stem of coriander is short and the long stalks that emerge from it carry deeply segmented fine leaves divided with linear lobes. Those clusters of light green leaves turn the plant into a delicate beauty. Tiny white flowers appear in compound umbels. The basal leaves are ovate-pinnate (3 pinnae) with toothed linear or oblong leaflets. The upper leaves are pinnate with linear leaflets 1 cm long.
Strong smelling leaves
Terminal umbels of small cup-shaped white sterile flowers are surrounded by larger fertile white flowers that are followed by spherical golden brown, ribbed fruits. The leaves are strong smelling and used to garnish sambar, rasam, soups and curds, and to make chutneys.
In a powdered form, the fruits are used as a constituent of curry powders and other spice mixtures.
Grow coriander in flat containers or pots and leave them on the balcony. Partial shade gives best leaf growth. Harvest seeds when fruits change colour and become pleasantly aromatic. Dry them and store.
CHITRA RADHAKRISHNAN
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