Spices
Medicinal Values of Every Type of Spice
Medicinal Properties of Coriander
Botanical Name :- Coriandrum
sativum
Indian Name :- Dhania
Other names: Mali (Tamil),
Coriander is both an annual and perennial herb. It is erect , sweet smelling and grows up to 20 cms in length with many branches. The stem is feeble, smooth and light green in colour. Leaves are compound, thin, and easily breakable. They have a sweet fragrance.
Coriander seems to have been cultivated in Greece since at least the second millennium BC. One of the Linear B tablets recovered from Pylos refers to the species as being cultivated for the manufacture of perfumes, and it appears that it was used in two forms: as a spice for its seeds and as a herb for the flavor of its leaves. This appears to be confirmed by archaeological evidence from the same period: the large quantities of the species retrieved from an Early Bronze Age layer at Sitagroi in Macedonia could point to cultivation of the species at that time.
Coriander seed and leaf was very widely used in medieval cuisine. Even today, coriander seed is an important ingredient in many sausage products.
Coriander was brought to the British colonies in North America in 1670 and was one of the first spices cultivated by early settlers.
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Properties:
The leaves of coriander are stimulant and tonic. they strengthen the stomach and promote its action, relieve flatulence, increase secretion and discharge of urine and reduce fever.
Coriander has been used as a folk medicine for the relief of anxiety and insomnia in Iranian folk medicine. Experiments in mice support its use as an anxiolytic. Coriander seeds are also used in traditional Indian medicine as a diuretic by boiling equal amounts of coriander seeds and cumin seeds, then cooling and consuming the resulting liquid. In holistic and some traditional medicine, it is used as a carminative and for general digestive aid.
Additionally, coriander juice (mixed with either turmeric powder or mint juice) is used by some as a treatment for acne, applied to the face like toner.
Coriander can also produce an allergic reaction in some people. However, if a dose as a food ingredient is consumed, it is safe to human uses in general.
Recipes using Coriander - Rasam (Indian Soup)
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Directions:
1 cup - Dhania/ coriander seeds
1 1/2 tsp - Miriyalu/ whole Peppercorns
1 tsp - Jeera/ Cumin seeds
1 tsp - Chana dal
1 tsp - Toor dal
1/2 -1 tsp - Red chilli powder (optional)Method :
Dry roast all the ingredients one after the other, until they slightly change colors and release their aroma. (except chilli powder ofcourse)
Cool them on a plate for a few minutes and ground to a fine powder. Add chilli powder and mix. Store in a dry, airtight container/bag.
Mix with water when needed and boil for 5 minutes and serve hot.
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