Coriander Obsession

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I have to vent about this, because it's getting very annoying.

I don't like Coriander, but it is creeping more and more into people's recipes and recipes in restaurants.

I was at a wedding recently, and had to pick Coriander out of three courses. :rolleyes:

The taste of it sticks in the throat, I think it adds nothing to any flavour.

I can't even have an indian delivered because they heap loads of this stuff onto everything they cook, even the best indians around do this. There is no need for it. I have to go to the shop and wait to tell them no coriander.

Can someone explain it to me?

thorbarry

Yea Coriander is a weird one, i used to absolutely hate it.. then one day i had it in an Indian and loved it ever since. But i know what you are saying, i like it, but only in a small amount, a barley noticeable amount if that makes sense. It can make a dish very tasty, but if you put too much of it it a dish, or in the wrong dish it is horrible

Miaireland

Thank you!!

It is wonderful to know that I am not the only person who hates it with a passion.

peepeep

Coriander is pure evil. To me, it tastes like detergent and I can't bear it in my food. I agree completely with the Indian thing - they put it in bloody everything! Grrr!

BaZmO*

Coriander Seeds are the basis for nearly every Indian recipe but the the herb is not nearly as common in recipes. Sometimes it works really well but other times it's just too over powering.

Out of interest Des, do you like the seeds?

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BaZmO* wrote: »

Coriander Seeds are the basis for nearly every Indian recipe but the the herb is not nearly as common in recipes. Sometimes it works really well but other times it's just too over powering.

It's those green leaves and the taste off them which I can't stand.

And they are taking over the world it seems. Every chef must have got a job lot of Coriander leaves on the cheap or something.

BaZmO* wrote: »

Out of interest Des, do you like the seeds?

Don't know tbh, I've never knowingly eaten the seeds. If they taste like the leaves, then no, I don't.

BaZmO*

Des wrote: »

It's those green leaves and the taste off them which I can't stand.

And they are taking over the world it seems. Every chef must have got a job lot of Coriander leaves on the cheap or something.

A lot of people don't like the leaves. I don't mind them tbh (when used in the right dishes), but I can see why people would hate it. Kinda a soapy taste and very over bearing at times .

Des wrote: »

Don't know tbh, I've never knowingly eaten the seeds. If they taste like the leaves, then no, I don't.

Seeds are totally different. Quite fragrant and citrusy, and sometimes I get a slight celery taste off them.

It's lovely sprinkled on carrots and parsnips which are roasted in the oven. Seriously nice.

Have you ever tried Hoegaarden Beer? Coriander seeds are one of the spices used in it. You should try a bottle and see what you think.

overmantle

Presume it is the coriander leaf as opposed to a sprinkling of the ground coriander/

The Sweeper

Coriander leaf has a very perfumed flavour - and I can imagine would be strongly overpowering if heaped excessively into dishes. Now I like the stuff, so I love to stir a handful of it through a curry before serving, especially a balti or something else where the coriander seed element of the sauce is strong, because the fresh herb compliments that.

However, I see what you're saying re it being in every dish. Who knows, perhaps the chefs are mistaking it for continental parsley... It's a passing fad, anyway, hopefully, and will stop soon enough.

BaZmO*

Oddly enough the OH made an Indian Curry last night and put Coriander leaf in it. Just a tiny bit added at the end. It's really nice when it's done this way.

overmantle wrote: »

Presume it is the coriander leaf as opposed to a sprinkling of the ground coriander/

Me?

nelkins

Thank you Des! I also HATE corriander! It is vile. I've noticed all the chefs on TV use it all the time...and so much of it too and they always refer to it as 'good ol' corrie' and 'you can never have too much corriander'. I beg to differ. El foodo el diablo.

Mr.David

So much coriander hatred!!

Personally I love the stuff, you cannot beat some freshly chopped on top of a curry or in a stir fry. And a salsa just isnt right without it.

Surprised really, didnt think it was generally disliked. My herb dislike right now is parsley - a little is fine but too much is awful.

Anyone else here like coriander?

geuro

mmmm coriander...

without coriander and cumin I'd be lost

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This is an ANTI Coriander thread.

All you Coriander lovers, get your own thread or I'll ban you! :pac:

The Recliner

I am with Des on this one

Have Corriander leaf

Don't mind seeds and am fond of Hoegarden but hate corriander leaves in food

John Mason

HATE IT

IT IS EVIL VILE STUFF NEARLY AS BAD AS PARSELY

i was at a wedding recently, it was in all 3 courses. i was sitting beside a Chef of a big Dublin Restuarant and he was having a rant about it as well. he said he will not have it in his kitchen.

Mr Magnolia

I love corriander myself. It would ruin a dish if it didn't belong there though. I haven't noticed it scattered across dishes as you describe (other than indian dishes).

Used to be that parsley was the garnishing herb of choice, god damned parlsey everywhere.

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irishbird wrote: »

i was at a wedding recently, it was in all 3 courses.

Was it the same wedding I was at :eek:

rubadub

I blame Lloyd Grossman for implanting it in peoples heads. Every time I see the word his voice goes through my head Caaaaawwwww-Ri-annnnn-daaar

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rubadub wrote: »

I blame Lloyd Grossman for implanting it in peoples heads. Every time I see the word his voice goes through my head Caaaaawwwww-Ri-annnnn-daaar

Actually, I remember watching cookery programs when I was little, with my mam.

And Darina Allen was always using it too. Every. Damn. Recipe. :mad:

John Mason

Des wrote: »

Was it the same wedding I was at :eek:

:eek::eek:

Mr.David

irishbird wrote: »

:eek::eek:

You two should hook up. With your mutual hatred of coriander you seem to have much in common. You can have little coriander hating children.

My coriander loving ass is going nowhere moderator !

BaZmO*

Des wrote: »

Was it the same wedding I was at :eek:

I'd say the probability is quite high. I'd even go as far as to suggest that you might have been at the same table.

thehamo

FINALLY! a place to vent my anger at this vile disgusting herb!!!!!!!!

I cannot mention how many times I have been unable to finish a nice meal due to the addition of corriander! the stuff is the work of the devil. Its tastes like parsley dipped in cats pi*s ! if I ever needed to imagine what it would be like eating aluminium, i would eat a mouthful of corriander! luckily when ever I ask in an indian they leave it out, but ocassionally i forget to ask and dinner is ruined!

Fresh taste my a*se!

the beer revolu

Apparently the hatred of coriander s a genetic thing.
I'm not sure about that cause I used to hate it until I had a coriander epiphany!
Love the stuff now but only on the right dishes - usually Asian or North African or Mexican salsa. It's awful if the leaf is cooked into food - just add at the end - great with lime zest, chopped spring onion and fresh mint and chilli.

My "can't stand it - think it's the devil's spawn" herb is dill.
Hate dill - no it doesn't go well with fish - it goes well with nothing!!:eek:
Also, dried parsley has no place on any food - love fresh flat leaved parsley, though!

Out of interest, what were the three dishes at the wedding?

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the beer revolu wrote: »

Apparently the hatred of coriander s a genetic thing.

That's cucumber I'd say you're thinking of, which contains a chemical compound called Phenylthiocarbamide, which only certain people can taste. I hate cucumber too, as it happens. This is also found in melons, which I don't eat.

I can smell cucumber on a plate three tables over.

the beer revolu wrote: »

great with lime zest, chopped spring onion and fresh mint and chilli.

Jesus, I can't stand mint, and wouldn't chose spring onions, and if they were on my plate I'd probably eat around them.

the beer revolu wrote: »

Out of interest, what were the three dishes at the wedding?

First one was some kind of prawn/garlic thing, then the soup was sweet potato and coconut (the soup was gorgeous, but eating around the coriander was painful), then the main course was roast beef, with coriander on top. Herself is a veggie, can't remember what her courses were, but probably included a Goats Cheese Tart somewhere, as per usual. (don't get me started on Goats Cheese Tarts at weddings, every "imaginative" bride has this idea, seriously, the bane of my life. That and a melon starter :rolleyes:)

the beer revolu

Des wrote: »

That's cucumber I'd say you're thinking of, which contains a chemical compound called Phenylthiocarbamide, which only certain people can taste. I hate cucumber too, as it happens. This is also found in melons, which I don't eat.

I can smell cucumber on a plate three tables over.



Jesus, I can't stand mint, and wouldn't chose spring onions, and if they were on my plate I'd probably eat around them.


First one was some kind of prawn/garlic thing, then the soup was sweet potato and coconut (the soup was gorgeous, but eating around the coriander was painful), then the main course was roast beef, with coriander on top. Herself is a veggie, can't remember what her courses were, but probably included a Goats Cheese Tart somewhere, as per usual. (don't get me started on Goats Cheese Tarts at weddings, every "imaginative" bride has this idea, seriously, the bane of my life. That and a melon starter :rolleyes:)

as a coriander lover, I have to say, wtf was coriander doing on roast beef?

finisklin

Homemade Carrot & Coriander soup....delish :pac:

Maybe this should thread should be turned into a poll to answer this national question!

Magic Monkey

Due to it's similarity in form to parsley, and people's heavy-handedness with adding parsley to dishes, they tend to do the same with coriander, when in reality just a little goes a long way.

Try one of Taco Taco's burritos in the Epicurean Food Hall, and you can taste coriander in their salsa but it's very subtle, and from eating it you can see that any more would completely overpower the food, as opposed to complimenting it, which is what any herb should be doing in any dish.

watna

I hate hate hate coriander as well. To me, it tastes like soap and even the smallest bit in any dish tastes really strong.

I've taken to asking is it in dishes in restaurants recently because I've ordered meals a few times that have been ruined because I wasn't expecting them to have coriander.

thehamo

i got an indian the other day, luckily I remembered to ask for no coriander in my meal. Had a choice between Garlic Naan bread or a coriander naan. Obviously I went for the Garlic naan...... comes out frickin smothered in coriander!!!!!!!!!!! WTF seriuosly, i didnt order the coriander naan for a reason!!!!!!

BaZmO*

In fairness though, Coriander Naans are manky!

Just leaves a horrible metallic feeling/taste in your mouth. It's not normal to each that much Coriander.

Minder

Coriander on roast beef Des? Surely you exaggerate. If you are correct then the chef should be shot with his own s**t. Roast beef is no place for herbs, particularly herbs from the other side of the world.

I like coriander but wouldn't put it on me cornflakes - unlike my sister in law, who once decided that a bowl of gremolata from the dinner the previous night would be a nice addition to porridge. Needless to say, it was awful (i'm told).

Coriander is lovely if used in the right context - with spicy food as in a salsa with lime juice, chilli and tomato - hmmm. Roast Beef? ROAST BEEF? GTF!

John Mason

at the same wedding

they put a big lump of it on top of a fig and goats cheese tart (dont get me started on goats cheese tart)

Kintarō Hattori

I'm afraid I'm another coriander lover. It has a delicous 'lemony' citrus type falvour.... yum yum. I've been making a sweet chicken curry for years but the other night was the first time I added some chopped coriander.............. I'll be doing that again, delicous.

Sorry to go against you Des but it's fantastic.

Chong

Another Anti coriander, I hate the stuff, its like eating soap .

rubadub

Des wrote: »

That's cucumber I'd say you're thinking of, which contains a chemical compound called Phenylthiocarbamide, which only certain people can taste. I hate cucumber too, as it happens. This is also found in melons, which I don't eat.

I can smell cucumber on a plate three tables over.

I also hate cucumber and could not eat a sandwich which was touched with it (i.e. can't just take it off, I can still taste it a mile off). I do love gerkins though.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coriander#Leaves

The leaves have a different taste from the seeds, with citrus overtones. Some perceive an unpleasant "soapy" taste or a rank smell and avoid the leaves. Belief that this is genetically determined may arise from the known genetic variation in taste perception of the synthetic chemical phenylthiocarbamide; however, no specific link has been established between coriander and a bitter taste perception gene.

smallgarden

hate coriander!id agree with it being evil!the leaf that is,dunno about the seeds as never eaten them on its own but can taste if theres coriander leaf in something or not, even the smell of it is nauseating!
not huge fan of basil either,love thyme!

i often wonder at christmas time how many ppl end up buying it thinking its parsley as been to shop few times where theres just trolley loads of the stuff

Sparks

What about the stalks?

jobucks

love it, love it, love it..... Coriander FTW:D

CJhaughey

Sparks wrote: »

What about the stalks?[/QUOTE


What about them? Try this use the whole stem and leaf, chop finely and add to a very small amount of light soya sauce and a small dash of toasted sesame oil.
The Chinese use this with chicken recipes.

Kevok

That would be a waste of delicious soy sauce and sesame oil.

Vile stuff coriander leaves. First time I had it I thought someone had put fairy washing up liquid in my dinner. Seeds funnily enough taste nice.

lizzyvera

I love the seeds. Just tried leaves- not very nice. Remind me of the smell of my fish tank.