Q: Are cilantro and coriander the same thing?

A: Native to the Mediterranean and the Orient, coriander is related to the parsley family. It’s known for both its seeds (the dried, ripe fruit of the plant) and for its dark green, lacy leaves (cilantro). Interestingly, the flavors of the seeds and leaves bear absolutely no resemblance to each other.

The coriander leaves are commonly known as cilantro or Chinese parsley. The cilantro leaves have a lively, pungent odor and flavor that lend themselves well to highly seasoned food. It is widely used in Asian, Caribbean and Latin American cooking. Choose leaves with an even green color and no sign of wilting. They are best when harvested young. This stage of plant growth is the vegetative stage of the plant cycle.

Cilantro grows best in early summer or fall when soil temperatures are below 75 degrees. Growth at higher temperatures causes the plant to “bolt” or develop a flower stalk. It is best to use the cilantro leaves before the plant bolts.

After harvest, cut the stems and store the cilantro, stems down, in a container of water and cover with a plastic bag, securing the bag to the glass with a rubber band. Refrigerate. Change the water every two to three days. Or cilantro may be stored for up to one week in a plastic bag. Before using, wash the cilantro and pat dry with paper towels.

As the plant grows and develops, the second stage occurs, during which the plant flowers and produces seeds. These seeds are called coriander. Whole coriander seeds are used in pickling and for special drinks, such as mulled wine.

The ground coriander seed is used in many baked goods (particularly Scandinavian) and soups. The ground seed also is used in making curry blends. Up to 20 spices, herbs and seeds are blended together to make curry powder. Those most commonly used include: cardamom, chiles, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, cumin, fennel seed, fenugreek, mace, nutmeg, red and black pepper, poppy seeds, saffron, sesame seeds, tamarind and turmeric.

Q: I’ve heard that cilantro kills bacteria. Is that true?

A: Recent research has shown that a compound in cilantro may provide antimicrobial characteristics. The compound, dodecenal, kills salmonella and may prevent foodborne illness.

Dodecenal is a tasteless compound. It is found in the stems and leaves of cilantro. The compound works by destroying the cell membrane of bacteria. It does not interfere with cells that manufacture protein. Therefore, bacteria may not become resistant to dodecenal.

Researchers note that it would take an amount of cilantro equivalent to the weight of a hot dog or hamburger for best foodborne illness protection. That’s a lot of cilantro. A 3-ounce equivalent serving of cilantro is 2 1/4 cups.

Q: What can be done with a bountiful crop of cilantro?

A: Here are a couple recipes using cilantro. The first one is a canning recipe from the University of Georgia.

Cayenne Pepper Sauce

3 pounds hot peppers (for example, Anaheim, Hungarian, jalapeños)

1/3 cup minced garlic

4 cups sliced onion (about 2 medium as bought)

1/3 cup stemmed, chopped cilantro

3 28-ounce cans diced tomatoes

3 cups cider vinegar (5 percent)

2 1/2 cups water

Wash and rinse pint canning jars; keep hot until ready to use.

Prepare lids according to manufacturer’s directions.

Wash, trim and slice peppers and onions into rings, using a mandolin slicer or a food processor. In a 10-quart Dutch oven or stockpot, mix together all ingredients. Bring to a boil and boil 1 hour. Reduce heat slightly and simmer 1 additional hour. Turn heat off and cool mixture slightly.

Puree vegetables in a blender about 2 minutes per blender batch. Return pureed mixture to stock pot and bring carefully just to a boil. (The mixture will start to spatter as it gets close to boiling; heat slowly while stirring constantly, being careful not to get burned by splashing sauce.) Turn off heat.

Fill hot sauce into hot, clean pint jars, leaving 1/2-inch head space. Remove air bubbles and adjust head space if needed. Wipe rims of jars with a dampened, clean paper towel; apply two-piece metal canning lids. Process in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes.

Caution: Wear plastic or rubber gloves when handling and cutting hot peppers or wash hands thoroughly with soap and water before touching your face or eyes.

Almond chicken salad

4 green onions, thinly sliced

1 large carrot, shredded

1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1/2 pound sugar snap peas, halved

2 cups chopped, cooked chicken breast meat

1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves

1/2 cup blanched slivered almonds, toasted

2 tablespoons white sugar

2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar

1 1/2 tablespoons sesame oil

1 tablespoon teriyaki sauce

1 tablespoon ground dry mustard

Pita pockets or bed of romaine lettuce (optional)

In a large bowl, mix together the onions, carrot, pepper, peas, chicken, cilantro and almonds. Set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar, vinegar, sesame oil, teriyaki sauce and dry mustard until smooth.

Pour over salad mixture and toss until coated. Serve in pita pockets or on a bed of lettuce. Makes 4 servings.