Cilantro 

"Cilantro" is the Spanish word for what we call "coriander" in English. It is indigenous to southwestern Asia, southern Europe, and northern Africa. It's also sometimes called "Chinese parsley."  The plant came to Mexico and North America with the Spanish. 

The plant is ancient. The oldest remains were discovered in a cave in Israel, and it's also been found in Egyptian tombs, like the one of Tutankhamen. Coriander was cultivated by the Greeks in the second century, too. The British colonies brought it to their American colonies in 1670.

All parts of the plant are edible, but the dried seeds and fresh leaves are the most often used. They have two different tastes. The seeds are used in cooking and as a spice, although they are eaten alone in a few places. The leaves have a different taste, almost resembling a citrus taste to some people, but others say it tastes soapy or rank.

Cilantro is often used in salsa and sauces. Many ethic groups cook with it. It's common in Mexican, Chinese, Indian, and Thai (which often also uses the roots) dishes. The leaves don't keep too long once picked, and they lose their aroma and flavor when frozen, heated, or dried. Therefore, they are usually used raw or added as a very last step when used in cooking.

They do have nutritional value. The fresh leaves contain the most vitamins A, K, and C.  The seeds have a lower vitamin content but also contain some important minerals. You can find plenty of ethnic recipes on the web but why not experiment with your own?

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