Culantro

Eryngium foetidum · Herb

40 pairings

Culantro (Eryngium foetidum) is a tropical herb whose long, saw-toothed leaves carry a pungent, concentrated version of cilantro's aroma. Known as recao, sawtooth coriander, Mexican coriander or ngo gai, it is a backbone seasoning of Caribbean, Latin American and Southeast Asian cooking.

Picking a good onedrag

Just cut, leaves stiff and standingLimp, yellowed and blackening

Shop freshAn everyday herb, no dose caution — provenance is the question. Roadside and ornamental plants carry sprays not cleared for food.Everyday best

Where it came fromYour own plant, grown on from a food-grade start

The leaf bladeGreen but matte, an odd nicked or bruised edge

The rosette baseCut face browning a little, whorl still firm

The bendBends over slowly, springs back when let go

Smell at a bruised leafClear and pungent once you bruise a leaf edge

What to look for, from just cut, leaves stiff and standing to limp, yellowed and blackening.

Preparing