Coriander Recipes
Cherry Tomatoes with Guacamole & Coriander
A fun and unusual addition to a party platter or an indulgent treat for two, these mouth watering delicacies are easy to whip up – and even easier to devour!
Ingredients
- 24 Cherry tomatoes
- 1 large, ripe Avocado
- 50g/2oz cream cheese
- 3 – 4 dashes of Tabasco sauce
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
- Pinch of salt
- Juice and grated rind of one lime to taste
Method
Cut a slice from the bottom of each tomato and use the handle of a small teaspoon to scoop out the seeds
Sprinkle the holes with salt and drain upside down on kitchen paper for at least 30 minutes.
Cut the avocado in half and discard the stone
Scoop the flesh into a food processor or blender and add the cream cheese. Process until very smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice.
Season with salt, Tabasco sauce, lemon rind and juice.
Toss in half the chopped coriander and process to blend.
Spoon the mixture into the tomatoes
To serve
Arrange on a platter and sprinkle with the remaining coriander.
Recipe idea from Longforgan Primary
Vietnamese Beef Salad
Serves 2 as a Main Dish
Ingredients
- 2 large Sirloin steaks
- 1 Birds Eye Chilli
- 1 lime
- A good pinch of sugar
- 2 tbsp Vietnamese or Thai fish sauce
- 1½ tbsp Sweet Chilli Sauce
- 4 Large/6 Small Lime Leaves
- Large handful of coriander leaves
- Large handful of mint leaves
- A 5cm length of cucumber
- 1 medium carrot
- 1 bunch watercress
- 2 Large/8 Cherry tomatoes
Method
Season the steaks with black pepper and a little oil and set them aside while you heat a grill or griddle pan.
Halve the bird’s eye chilli, scrape out and discard the seeds. Shred the flesh finely then put into a mixing bowl with the juice of the lime, the sugar, fish sauce and the sweet chilli sauce. Mix thoroughly.
Remove the stem and central vein from the vine leaves, then roll them up and shred them very finely. Put them in a serving dish. Roughly chop the coriander leaves and the mint. Cut the cucumber and carrot into match stick sized pieces, peeling them first if you wish, then add to the lime leaves with the chopped herbs.
Wash the watercress and remove the stems. Slice the tomatoes into thin segments and add with the watercress to the rest of the salad. Grill the steaks briefly, salting them as they cook. They should be nicely singed on the outside and deep rosy pink within. Slice them into finger-thick strips, toss with the salad and dressing. Serve while the steak is still hot.
Green Chicken and Coconut Soup
Serves two as a main course soup
Ingredients
- 2 Cloves of Garlic
- 2 hot green chillies
- Small bunch of mint
- Small bunch of coriander
- Small bunch of basil
- 2 large chicken breasts
- 1 lime
- Ground nut oil
- Coconut cream
- 600ml Chicken or Vegetable Stock
- 2 tbsp Thai fish sauce
Method
Peel the garlic, halve, seed and roughly chop the chillies, remove the stem from the herbs.
Warm the grill or a cast iron griddle pan. Rub the chicken breasts with a little oil (ground nut or light olive oil), season with salt and grill on both sides until thoroughly cooked.
Meanwhile, blitz the garlic, chillies and herbs in a food processor. You can add a little water if they stick. Finely grate the lime and add to the spice paste, reserving the juice.
Put half the paste into a medium sized saucepan with a tablespoon of oil and fry for a minute or two, stirring to stop it sticking. Pour in the coconut cream, stock and the fish sauce. Bring to the boil, then stir until the fish sauce has dissolved. Simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the remaining paste and the reserved lime juice and check for seasoning.
Slice the chicken into thick strips and divide between two soup bowls. Pour in the stock, scattering over a few fresh coriander leaves.
Southern Indian Chicken Curry
Ingredients
- 3 large, fat green chillies, de-seeded
- 1tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp turmeric
- 2.5cm (1inch) piece fresh root ginger, peeled
- 2 garlic cloves peeled
- Large bunch of fresh coriander, chopped
- 2 tbsp groundnut or sunflower oil
- 10 Curry Leaves
- 2 Large onions, sliced
- 4 skinless boneless chicken breasts, cut into chunks
- 1 x 410g tin thick & creamy coconut milk
- 2 tsp tamarind paste
- Juice 1 lime
Method
Chop the chillies, ground coriander, turmeric, ginger and garlic, using a mini chopper or blender. Add a splash of water and a pinch of salt. Whiz to make a paste.
Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the curry leaves and stir, then add the paste, onions and chicken. Cook for 3- 4 minutes, stirring so it doesn’t stick to the pan. Add the coconut milk, bring to the boil then simmer for 10 – 15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
Stir in the tamarind paste, fresh coriander and lime juice, and serve with basmati rice and a tomato salad. To make the salad, chop tomatoes and shallots, add a squeeze of lime juice and season with salt. You can make the curry the day before and keep it in the fridge but add more fresh coriander prior to serving.
Coriander Facts
- A quantity of coriander seeds were recovered from the tomb of Tutankhamen. Since this herb does not grow wild in Egypt, this can be seen as proof that the Ancient Egyptians cultivated the herb for various usages.
- Coriander is thought to have been introduced to Britain by the Romans who used the herb as a meat preserver.
