Cilantro
Posted by tulipchick on Feb 25, 2009 · Member since Feb 2007 · 126 posts
So yesterday I went to the downtown market, and they had cilantro!!! I was so excited! It's hard to find it in Germany. So what should I do with it? Besides making a ton of salsa? What are your favorite things to eat with it?
I love cilantro, I use it in just about everything savory, atleast. Any recipie calling for cumin or corriander ( which are from the same plant) could use cilantro as well. I put it in Indian and Asian, Thai and African foods too. I don't care for parsley, so I use cilantro instead. If you find you like it, it is very easy to grow, like most herbs and does well inside, if your pets don't eat it.
Guacamole, mmm. I loveee it with pretty much anything with lime in it. or black beans and corn. Yummy.
Try the cilantro black bean tofu recipe on here!!! Its awesome!
Add cilantro to the following for a more flavorful dish:
Veggie fajitas
Chili beans
Corn chowder
Butternut squash soup
Vegetable stews
Thai Curry
Chana Masala
Pesto
Salads, a lime-cilantro salad dressing
Pozole(Mexican hominy soup in a chile base)
Burritos
Tacos
My brain immediately thought you were excited about the cilantro to pair it with lime so these are those ideas. If limes are hard to find, just ignore me!
Cilantro Lime Tofu & Black Beans - This is so unbelievably good!
Tortilla Soup - perfect with beans, lots of lime and fresh leaves of cilantro floating about
Indian dishes like Chana Masala use cilantro and are soooo yummy!
A lot of the students in the culinary class I'm in are hooked on cilantro oil (me too). Just put a good handful of cilantro in a blender and just cover with olive oil...and blend away. You can strain it if you want but some of us kind of like the chunky stuff. We've been drizzling it on just about everything. Salads, beans, rice...oh my favorite is just to dip bread in it.
I second Cali's suggestion about lime...great with cilantro. There's a black bean and corn salad on this site that is really good. I used lime juice instead of vinegar in it and it came out really good.
I was just channeling Saskia's extra thoughts! Honest. ;)
I was just channeling Saskia's extra thoughts! Honest. ;)
Great minds think alike. :)
By the way, Cali, have you gotten your Veg News in the mail yet from your Secret Santa gift? Just checking to see because there was some confusion when I called to place the order.
A lot of the students in the culinary class I'm in are hooked on cilantro oil (me too). Just put a good handful of cilantro in a blender and just cover with olive oil...and blend away. You can strain it if you want but some of us kind of like the chunky stuff. We've been drizzling it on just about everything. Salads, beans, rice...oh my favorite is just to dip bread in it.
I second Cali's suggestion about lime...great with cilantro. There's a black bean and corn salad on this site that is really good. I used lime juice instead of vinegar in it and it came out really good.
Hey! This is what we do at our cafeteria, except with garlic in there too. We use it to mix with brown rice for the "Mexcian food" area (as an alternative to Spanish rice made w/ white rice). Didn't know it was a "thing."
Yeah, for my class anyway. A visiting chef used it on some dish he prepared and we've been dumping the stuff on everything since. hmmmm...garlic you say? We starving culinary students might throw some in next time.
Hey thanks everyone!! I have some yummy cooking to do!!! Everything sounds delish!! How exciting!
I add cilantro to pretty much everything. Besides what has already been mentioned, I add it to salads too
A lot of the students in the culinary class I'm in are hooked on cilantro oil (me too). Just put a good handful of cilantro in a blender and just cover with olive oil...and blend away. You can strain it if you want but some of us kind of like the chunky stuff. We've been drizzling it on just about everything. Salads, beans, rice...oh my favorite is just to dip bread in it.
I'm sorry that this is a bit off topic, but I'm very curious to know how you attend culinary school, being that you're most likely vegetarian/vegan?
I've always thought about going to culinary school but since I wouldn't want to taste a lot of the things (meat), I wasn't sure how it would wok out.
Also, I use cilantro in asian dishes. I use it to make a sauce with cilantro, garlic, vegetable broth, parsely, lime, and soy sauce. Then I usually use a little oil and flour in order to make it thicker so it coats the rice and vegetables better.
Well, I get criticized alot. I eat vegan at home and when I am not at school. At school I am required to taste the food. I have been known to spit it right back out....and that didn't score me any points with the instructor...whew..you would have had to been there. It's not uncommon for me to have to excuse myself to run to the bathroom because something I've tasted has made me ill. I want that certificate...so I put up with a lot. Everyone knows I am vegan in class including the instructors and for the most part they are understanding. They have even started allowing some vegetarian and vegan dishes to be created and served in the restaurant the culinary school runs. Ehhhhh...it's not a perfect world. I understand the concerns about being vegan in a non-vegan environment....it is not easy. Does it make me less of a vegan...to a lot of people it proballly does. However, the only exposure to veganism for most of the class and the instructors has been me....maybe in some small way that is worth something.
Well, I get criticized alot. I eat vegan at home and when I am not at school. At school I am required to taste the food. I have been known to spit it right back out....and that didn't score me any points with the instructor...whew..you would have had to been there. It's not uncommon for me to have to excuse myself to run to the bathroom because something I've tasted has made me ill. I want that certificate...so I put up with a lot. Everyone knows I am vegan in class including the instructors and for the most part they are understanding. They have even started allowing some vegetarian and vegan dishes to be created and served in the restaurant the culinary school runs. Ehhhhh...it's not a perfect world. I understand the concerns about being vegan in a non-vegan environment....it is not easy. Does it make me less of a vegan...to a lot of people it proballly does. However, the only exposure to veganism for most of the class and the instructors has been me....maybe in some small way that is worth something.
thats awesome that theyve added those menu items, hopefully they'll do well and the instructors will see a need for that kind of cooking in addition to keeping them on the menu long after you've graduated. after you graduate you should convince them to hire you on to teach a vegan cooking class! it couldnt hurt their reputation, if anything it would help set them apart in giving their students a broader education.
everyone else's ideas are my favorites as well--it is fabulous in all types of cuisine (and I always chew some while chopping too!) it's pretty much my absolute favorite herb!
My mom made me lentil soup in a red wine broth seasoned w/chopped cilantro. It was fabulous.