Coriander (Cilantro) ผักชี

A central herb to the Thai cuisine, the coriander, cilantro or Pak Chi in Thai is dating back to early days when together with white pepper and garlic it comprised the basic trinity of Thai flavoring.

Here again the Thai cuisine has done something remarkable that you don’t see very often if at all in other cuisines. Namely, while other cuisines make use of the plant’s leaves, stalks and seeds. The Thai cuisine is using in addition the roots of the plant known in Thai as Rak Pak Chi. The roots are in fact the most fragrant part of the plant and would overwhelm you in the most positive way.

Coriander is used in numerous dishes, often its root is pounded and added to soups or to curry pastes. Roasted and grinded coriander seeds are also added to a good part of curry pastes. Coriander leaves are abundant in salads, soups and many other dishes.