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Susan Jung

Fresh coriander, which before moving to Hong Kong I had always known by its Chinese name, yuhn sai, or its Spanish name, cilantro, is one of those flavours you either love or hate.
I know some people who feel nauseated if a dish has even the slightest amount of this pungent herb. I love it, and buy it by the handful from the wet markets. Many vegetable vendors throw in a few stems for free if you buy enough from them.
Although it is also called Chinese parsley, coriander cannot be used in place of the more subtle curly leafed or Italian parsleys. The flavour is too distinctive.
It perks up the flavour of fish pastes, which you can buy from the wet market: chop up lots of coriander and mix it into the paste before cooking.
1. Cantonese steamed fish

Fresh coriander is an absolute necessity in traditional Cantonese steamed fish.
Buy a fresh whole fish from the vendor and have them clean and scale it. Rub a little brandy or rice wine into the flesh and cut deep slashes on both sides, all the way to the bone.
Sprinkle with julienned ginger, drizzle on some soy sauce and steam until done (10 minutes per 2.5cm of thickness, measured at its thickest point).
While the fish is cooking, heat vegetable oil until very hot. As soon as the fish is ready, cover with lots of fresh coriander and julienned spring onions. Drizzle on the hot oil to wilt the coriander and onions.
2. Shellfish with coriander

The flavour of fresh coriander goes well with shellfish.
Buy mussels and clams and rinse well just before cooking. Melt unsalted butter in a deep pan and cook diced shallots and garlic until wilted. Toss in the shellfish, add some white wine, cover and simmer until the mussels and clams have opened their shells.
Stir in diced fresh tomatoes, chopped coriander and lime juice, taste for seasoning and serve with crusty bread.
3. Pork chops with coriander seeds

Grind the coriander seeds with fennel seeds and combine with grated lemon zest, finely minced garlic, chopped parsley, some paprika, salt, ground pepper and olive oil, and rub over pork chops.
Sear in a hot skillet, then serve.
Coriander seeds

The coriander plant whose leaves are used so often in Chinese cuisines also gives us small, roundish, tan-coloured fruits that are usually referred to as seeds.
The leaves and seeds have very different flavours; the plant is strong and distinct, while the seeds are milder, with a warm, faintly citrusy taste.
Dried coriander seeds are used as a spice in European and Asian cuisines; by contrast, the herb is not that common in European cooking. The ground spice loses its flavour quickly, so it is better to buy the seeds whole and grind them when needed.
The seeds are usually toasted before being used; doing so brings out the fragrance and flavour.
Whole coriander seeds are often an ingredient in commercial pickling spices, along with other spices such as caraway, dill and pepper. Coriander seeds are also made into essential oil that is used for digestive and sleep problems.
Coriander seeds are used in spice mixtures for baked goods, such as pain d’épices and lebkuchen.
For savoury dishes, their mild flavour works well with everything from fish to meats.
This content was previously published in Post Magazine in 2002 and 2013.


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Food & Drink

Also known as cilantro and Chinese parsley, this polarising plant adds distinctive flavour to dishes, especially Cantonese steamed fish


Also known as cilantro and Chinese parsley, this polarising plant adds distinctive flavour to dishes, especially Cantonese steamed fish.


Asian recipes

Chinese cuisine

Hong Kong

How to cook with coriander, the herb you either love or hate, in 3 recipe ideas

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Also known as cilantro and Chinese parsley, this polarising plant adds distinctive flavour to dishes, especially Cantonese steamed fish

1. Cantonese steamed fish

Also known as cilantro and Chinese parsley, this polarising plant adds distinctive flavour to dishes, especially Cantonese steamed fish