Cilantro, Resolutions, and Chutney

I have a confession. I am a certified plant killer. Somehow these (wimpy) plants always end up not thriving as originally hoped for, and one day, I find myself confronted with plant corpses! In my defense though, death is usually mostly due to negligence than calculated plant killing. Horrible still though, right?

This year, when I moved to a new condo, fully equipped with a shiny balcony, I was tres excited to start a balcony herb garden and maybe grow a few simple vegetables. This overly ambitious hope was quickly dashed with a prognosis that my north facing balcony would probably not allow for much sunlight or much yield. Luckily our living room faces east, so I crossed my fingers that I would have some luck growing some potted herbs there. Since cilantro is usually my herb of choice in cooking, I decided to try my hand at growing it instead of constantly venturing to the supermarket for it. After a few weeks of tender loving care (daily classical music, watering, sunlight) and a few green sprouts (aka false hope) later, I was left with the remnants of a dead cilantro plant and definitely no yummy herbs to season my dishes. Just my luck! Cilantro is my absolute favorite herb, and my wish for fresh cilantro year round was squashed.

Growing up, I acquired the taste for cilantro through my mom’s constant usage of it in her Chinese cuisine. It was used abundantly and sprinkled fresh on top of soups, congee, noodles, on pickled vegetables and even in ja jian mian (zha jiang mian, 炸酱面, literal meaning: fried sauce noodles). Cilantro has an ability to bring out, enhance, and lift up undertones of other flavours, making food that much more magical. Although most people love cilantro (a.k.a Chinese parsley), there are some who absolutely loathe it. Personally, I often question their sanity, but apparently this can be attributed to a variation in a taste perception gene. I guess that excuse works, since who wouldn’t like the fresh, minty, crisp taste of spring cilantro has?

Originally grown in what is modern day Greece, the use and harvesting of cilantro dates back to at least 5,000BC. Its culinary uses are vast and have been used in specialty dishes across the world from Southwestern USA, Latin America, Southeast Asia, India, the Middle East, to northern parts of Africa. Essential in salsas, curries, chutneys and marinades, the fan shaped jagged edged leaf really adds life and dimension to meats, curries, and soup alike. Medicinally, cilantro has been noted for its aphrodisiac qualities and documented as a digestive aid as it stimulates the secretion of gastric juices.

Since the devastating loss of my cilantro plant, I’ve done a lot of research and found that I had made many mistakes the growing process. Good aeration, proper drainage, and a deeper container might have been helpful! With New Years right around the corner (tick tick tick), one of my 2011 resolutions is to successfully grow cilantro from seed, harvest, and collect new seeds. This may seem a simple task to some (like my mom who yelled at me for screwing up on something sooooooo easy), but for me with my non-existent green thumb, it is quite the challenge. I will keep you all updated, and of course, your tips are appreciated.

Below, I’ve left you with a mouth watering Cilantro-Coconut Chutney recipe. At a holiday party I recently went to, an Indian couple made a variation of the recipe below. They spread the chutney onto slices of bread along with butter and cucumbers, making delicious Cucumber Chutney Sandwiches. Saying they were a huge hit would be putting it mildly. The sandwiches were literally gone in seconds (and when I say literally, I mean literally). Give the recipe a try, or just add some fresh chopped cilantro to your dinner tonight, guarantee to bring your plate to life.

Cilantro-Coconut Chutney

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of fresh cilantro leaves
• 1/3 cup of shredded sweetened coconut
• 1/3 cup of pitted chopped dates
• ¼ cup water
• 2 tablespoons of lime juice
• 1/8 teaspoon of salt
• 1 garlic clove minced
• 2 teaspoons curry powder

Method:

• Place all ingredients in a food processor. Process until smooth and enjoy!
• Can be served with samosas, spread on bread, or as dip for anything you can dunk.

Happy New Years Food Trotters! Whether your resolutions are to attempt to start a vegetable garden, to recreate all of the wonderful recipes highlighted on Food Trotter, or to travel and taste your way across the Mediterranean, keep in mind that making your resolutions as detailed as possible, realistic, and being accountable to someone will make your resolutions easier to stick to and ultimately achievable!

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