Dried cilantro: what is the name and how to dry it properly?

How pale and tasteless would be the life of mankind without spices. There were legends about them, beliefs, and even now books are being written.One of the brightest representatives of such irreplaceable plants is called cilantro. Especially love and appreciate it in the Caucasus for a bitter aftertaste, fresh bright green color and strong aroma. With its help, prepare a lot of meat dishes and pastries.

This valuable plant is used in food in the form of greens and seeds. The name of the seeds is coriander. They are used by many housewives in their baking. Everyone remembers those very grains on Borodino bread. The history of this spice goes far back in time. Even in ancient Egypt, with its help and because of the strong and unusual smell, sacrificial rituals were performed, the dead were surrounded by it, they were very actively used in medicine. For a long time it was believed that grass brings immortality. In Europe, cilantro appeared with the Romans, it is to them that we owe for the spread of this culture.

Cilantro is very popular today. Baking, salads, meat and fish dishes are often and often seasoned with this seasoning around the world.

Spice contains a number of medicinal properties:

• removes excess fluid from the body;
• is a source of energy;
• possesses healing and disinfecting properties on mucous membranes;
• has a beneficial effect on the heart;
• helps control blood sugar levels;
• normalizes the gastrointestinal tract;
• fights against skin diseases;
• causes appetite.

Constant use of cilantro will accelerate the metabolic processes in the body, improve the work of the brain department, protect the immune system, give the body vigor and energy. In people suffering from anorexia, this spice will remove harmful substances from the body and cause appetite. Cilantro promotes the rapid absorption of starch, which allows you to digest even "heavy food", such as meat, kebabs and feel easy. On the Internet there are many recipes for weight loss based on this amazing spice.

Summer is not forever and you can enjoy its benefits only for a short time. But you can still save a piece of summer for a cold winter. Let's try to deal with this in more detail. Save the cilantro for the winter in several ways. It can be frozen or dried. Everyone chooses their own way depending on their preferences. At the same time cilantro can not be stored in the refrigerator for a long time, it is not suitable for this. Each method has its drawbacks and merits.

When drying all useful substances remain, it is convenient to store and transport spice. The drying process does not take much time, is easy and relatively fast. When freezing at extremely low temperatures, some of the nutrients are lost and the aroma is not so saturated.

It is better to collect young green plants up to 20 cm in height for drying. It is better to do this in dry weather. After cutting the twigs, rinse thoroughly with water, remove the dark, damaged parts of the leaves and only after that start drying. As we have already decided above, in the course are greens, seeds and even stems.

But in order to get a better product, it is recommended to dry the ground part before the plant begins to bloom and seeds appear. Usually this period comes at the beginning of the summer. The plant will have a stronger flavor and contain more trace elements, vitamins and other nutrients.

In fact, this process is not so complicated. With proper drying, the plant retains its aroma and all the beneficial substances. It is best to separate the leaves from the stems and dry separately. Leaves simply tear off and fold on a flat surface, and a baking sheet will do. When drying, they will change quite strongly in size, so they will not need grinding. The stems are better chopped and dried separately from the leaves.

Drying should be in a dry ventilated area, it is possible on the street, but not under direct sunlight. From the direct rays of the sun when drying greens can change color to dark brown. The main thing in this process is not to overdry!

You can also use an electric dryer, but observing a number of conditions. There is a risk to overdry and get dust. It is better to dry at a temperature of no more than +50 ° C, turn off the dryer every hour, change pallets in places. It is better not to dry it a little and leave the greens in the air. After drying, the cilantro can be folded in glass, wooden or ceramic dishes with a tight-fitting lid and stored in a cool room. Under all conditions, the spice can be stored for about a year without losing its beneficial properties.

Cooked with the use of dried cilantro can be not so many dishes as with fresh. But in some dishes cilantro is simply irreplaceable. It is added to the kebab, the well-known Uzbek pilaf, milk soups, vegetable salads, sauces. Below are a few recipes using dried cilantro.

Pilaf is a nutritious, wholesome dish with a rich aroma and flavor. No wonder he is so popular. Especially this recipe will fall in love with vegetarians, because it is without meat. It is easy to prepare, it will serve as decoration for any table. Ingredients:

• Rice - 650 g;
• Champignons - 1 kg;
• Onion - 3 pcs .;
• Vegetable oil - 150 ml;
• Spicy tomato sauce - 1 tsp;
• Carrots 600 g;
• Ground red pepper to taste;
• Ground black pepper to taste;
• Cilantro, barberry to taste;
• Salt - 3 tsp.

Pour the rice with water so that it swollen and more quickly approached. Mushrooms cut into cubes and fry in a pan in vegetable oil until half cooked, salt. After putting the pan with a thick bottom on the fire, pour the oil. While the oil is heated, it is necessary to chop the onion, in the original half rings. In boiling oil pour it. Reduce the fire to medium and fry until golden. At this time it is necessary to cut the carrots in long sticks. Chopped carrots mixed with onions, mushrooms, spices: cilantro, red pepper, barberry, spicy tomato sauce. After that, cover with a lid, reduce the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes.

During this time, you must wash the rice in cold running water several times. Pour the washed rice into a frying pan with mushrooms and vegetables, smooth and pour 3 cups of cold water, add 3 teaspoons of salt. Cover everything with a lid and leave to simmer for 10 minutes. Spices will reveal their flavor and soak mushrooms, vegetables and rice.

Sometimes you want to pamper your loved ones with a light soup with vegetables and an unusual flavor. This recipe is created just for this. Ingredients:

• Chicken - 0.5 kg;
• Carrots - 1 piece;
• Celery root - 1 piece small;
• Nutmeg to taste;
• Cilantro dried to taste;
• Baked milk - 70 g;
• Flour - 1 tablespoon.

Fry carrots and celery root in butter over low heat. Pour into a saucepan 1 liter of water, bring to a boil, salt and pepper. Add boiled chicken to boiling water and cook until ready. Then add carrots with onions and celery, nutmeg and cilantro.

Prepare a dressing of 75 g of milk and 1 tablespoon of flour dissolved in it, add to the soup. Cover and boil for about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with herbs when serving.

The expression "with a delicious sauce, you can even eat the sole" just about this sauce. Originally from Georgia, it will add piquancy and unique taste to any dish. Usually this sauce is served with potatoes and pasta. Ingredients:

• plums 1 kg;
• cilantro - to taste;
• garlic - 5 small cloves;
• salt, pepper - to taste.

Wash the plums, place in a container with a thick bottom, add four tablespoons of water and cook until the skin is separated from the pulp. After that, wipe the plums through a sieve, removing the skins and boil again for 30 minutes. Add chopped garlic, one tablespoon of vegetable oil, about a teaspoon of cilantro, salt and pepper to taste. After mixing all the ingredients, turn off the fire. Served cold sauce, kept in the refrigerator.

See the following video for a recipe for cilantro sauce.