Micro Coriander – Who, What, How?

Micro Coriander Cress is todays focus!

In these weekly blogs, we will select our favourite product this week and discuss its variety of health benefits and uses. We will throw in some great recipes for you to try and some top tips and tricks.   

This week, we’re talking a classic: coriander. Coriander for centuries has been prominent in cooking across the globe and is in fact said to be one of the most ancient of herbs. Coriander references are seen as far back as 1550 B.C. The coriander herb can grow up to 20 inches in height, although today, we are loving its micro self. Micro coriander is no bigger than 3.5 inches in height and has distinct, rich flavourings. It’s sweet and zesty flavours with strong notes of pepper and fresh grass make it very popular for garnishing a variety of dishes, from Thai curries to seafood and salads. Its vibrant green leaves also make it undeniably attractive.

Did you know? Coriander is actually a member of the parsley family.

Micro coriander also has great health benefits. It is one of the richest herbal sources of Vitamin K and has 3 times the amount of beta-carotene than the mature coriander herb. Vitamin K is needed in the body for blood clotting, to promote wound healing. This makes coriander a great little micro to add to any of your dishes.

Now let’s get stuck in with some recipe ideas…

We’ve had a hunt through and have found our favourite recipes for you to try using micro coriander. Some are a little more challenging, but result in the most beautiful of dishes.

Crispy Calamari

Over on The Nurtured Way, Mason Wooltorton gives a recipes for a deliciously vibrant Asian calamari salad. Mason breaks his recipe down into simple components, so it is a little easier to follow. This makes this recipe a great one for either the amateur or the professional. The bright yellow mango he uses contrasts beautifully with his sharp green coriander garnish. It’s a winner from us! Try his recipe in full here.

King Crab with Micro Crab Salad and Tomato Consommé Granita

It’s another fish dish! But we couldn’t resist! – It’s so beautiful. From the brilliant Graham Campbell over on Great British Chefs, this king crab and micro herb salad is covered in an array of vibrant micros, shoots and sea veg. Although his list of ingredients might looking daunting, Graham’s recipe is in fact very manageable. He breaks down each component into steps which then pull together at the end. Although full of lots of flavoursome micros and sea vegetables, Graham’s choice to incorporate coriander onto the garnish is a great one. With bold flavours itself, this micro is bound to stand out on the plate. Try his recipe over on Great British Chefs here.

Rabbit Tikka Masala

From Dominic Chapman over on Great British Chefs, this recipe will really bring the fresh flavours of micro coriander alive. So frequently used in Indian cuisine, you have likely seen coriander garnishing curries before. Although, Dominic Chapman brings a great take on the traditional takeaway curry by making it with beautiful rabbit meat. Coriander is used throughout the recipe, both as seeds and ground. We love this one and recommend this as a great one to try, simply because of the beautiful contrasts of orange and green colours! Head over to Great British Chefs and try it.

Top Tips and Tricks:

• Make your avocado toast that extra bit special and flavoursome by garnishing it with micro coriander cress
• When cutting micro coriander, be sure to use a sharp pair of scissors
• Give your Mexican dishes that fresh burst by garnishing with micro coriander