11-07-2025
- General
- South China Morning Post
How to cook with coriander, the herb you either love or hate, in 3 recipe ideas
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.
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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
Coriander is an absolute necessity in traditional Cantonese steamed fish. Photo: Shutterstock
Fresh coriander is an absolute necessity in traditional Cantonese steamed fish.