Coriander is either fresh, citrusy, and full of bursts of happiness or it tastes like soap and ruins your entire meal. There seems to be no in-between.

In this episode, we unpack what coriander is, why it has different names, where it comes from, how it shows up in so many cuisines and what the peer-reviewed science says about the soap tasting situation. We also break down coriander leaves vs coriander seeds, compare it to other herbs and get practical with recipes, storage, and substitutions.

In this episode

• Coriander, cilantro, dhania, coriandre, and كزبرة
• Where coriander likely originated
• The genetics: the 2012 genome-wide association study and OR6A2
• The chemistry behind the soap issue
• Leaves vs seeds
• Coriander compared to other herbs
• Practical and common uses
• How to cook around cilantro if it tastes like soap

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References mentioned in the episode

• Eriksson, N. et al. (2012). A genetic variant near olfactory receptor genes influences cilantro preference. Flavour.
• Robino, A. et al. (2019). A Brief Review of Genetic Approaches to the Study of Food Preferences. (Mentions OR6A2 as a candidate receptor activated by aldehydes linked to cilantro odor.
• Spence, C. (2023). Coriander (cilantro): A most divisive herb.
• Kumar, S. et al. (2022). Chemical composition of fresh coriander leaves headspace aroma and essential oils.
• Shahwar, M.K. et al. (2012). Characterization of coriander seeds and leaves volatile extracts.
• Serious Eats (2019). What is culantro, and how to use it.