| Culantro | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Eryngium foetidum leaves | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Asterids |
| Order: | Apiales |
| Family: | Apiaceae |
| Genus: | Eryngium |
| Species: | E. foetidum |
| Binomial name | |
| Eryngium foetidum L. |
|
Eryngium foetidum is a tropical perennial and annual herb in the family Apiaceae. It is native to Mexico and South America but is cultivated worldwide. In the United States, where it is not well known, the name culantro sometimes causes confusion with Coriandrum sativum (also in Apiaceae), the leaves of which are known as cilantro, and which culantro is even said to taste like.[1]
Eryngium foetidum is also known as culantro; culantro coyote (Costa Rica); long, wild, or Mexican coriander; fitweed; spiritweed; sawtooth or saw-leaf herb; cilantro cimarron; chardon benit (French chardon béni); shado, shadon, or shadow beni (English-speaking Caribbean); recao (Puerto Rico); sachaculantro (Peru); bhandhanya (Hindi); donnia; ngò gai (Vietnam); and pak chi farang (Thai: ผักชีฝรั่ง).
Contents |
Usage
E. foetidum is widely used in seasoning and marinating in the Caribbean. It is also used extensively in Thailand, India, Vietnam, and other parts of Asia as a culinary herb. This variety of coriander dries well, retaining good color and flavor, making it valuable in the dried herb industry. It is sometimes used as a substitute for cilantro, but it has a much stronger taste.
Medicinally, the leaves and roots are used in tea to stimulate appetite, improve digestion, combat colic, soothe stomach pains, and eliminate gas. A decoction of the leaves has been shown to exhibit anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects.[2]
See also
- Cuban cuisine
- Cuisine of the Dominican Republic
- Puerto Rican cuisine
- Thai cuisine
- Vietnamese cuisine
References
External links
- Long Coriander (Eryngium foetidum L.) page from Gernot Katzer's Spice Pages
- Mexican Coriander (Eryngium foetidum L.) page Information on the various common names of "Long Coriander" & cultivation tips.
- Anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties from leaves of Eryngium foetidum L. (Apiaceae) from Wiley InterScience
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