Cilantro and mint are my two favourite herbs. Because these herbs are a staple ingredient in the Indian cuisine, they are the flavours which I grew up with and have learned not do without.
When we first settled in Red Deer 40 years, neither one of these herbs were readily available in the produce aisle in the grocery store. So having a place to grow these herb was a priority for my mom. When we purchased our first house, my mom’s first request for her 8 feet by 8 feet yard was that she have a little garden. No vegetables were ever planted here, just her “padina” and “dhania” (mint and cilantro). This little garden evoked mixed feelings during my younger years.
Maybe a little self conscious of being a little different, I was somewhat embarrassed — there were no pretty flowers or vegetables that anyone recognized but it always seemed to attract attention with my friends. It simply looked like dirt patch full of weed or an overgrowth that always seemed out of control. When my friends asked what we were growing, I would plead ignorance.
But in the evenings, there was also a tranquil quality to the garden. Since it was planted by the bedroom window, the sweet scent of the mint combined with flowery lime like fragrance of the cilantro would float through when there was a summer breeze--- its bouquet would have a peaceful effect. I know it sounds a bit cliché but the fragrant breeze really soothed and calmed the soul.
Since the mint is a perennial, it never required re-planting, it’s green leaves would pop up from the ground during the early spring. The cilantro, however, required to be seeded annually. When planting, my mom insisted that cilantro requires a “special” touch by someone who had unseen growing powers; in our case this was my dad. I don’t remember his “cilantro grower coronation” but it was always his job to sprinkle the coriander seeds into the ground so that we were guaranteed a lush crop of cilantro.
Since cilantro did not freeze well, my mom used it fresh. So during the spring and summer season, the green herbs were always present in all her curries. Unlike the cilantro, any unused mint was ground up in the blender, frozen on a cookie tray, and then broken into chunks so that it could be used during the winter months. And yes, my mom’s freezer always had a designated section reserved just for her mint!
Since the more you picked, the more the mint and the cilantro would grow, my mom would harvest both regularly.
She would incorporate the herbs into savoury salads, lentil curries and flavourings for all her vegetable curries. Majority of her stock would also be ground up to make loads and loads of chutneys that she would freeze, to be served with appetizers like samosas, chaats (tortilla salad), and pakoras (vegetable fritters) . To this day, my mom continues to harvest her precious herbs to make copious amount of chutney---but now she rations it out to give to her kids.
I never did acquire my parents’ green thumb but I still like to use the fresh herbs quite readily. Since cilantro can be purchased at the grocery store year round, this is always stored in my vegetable drawer in the fridge. The mint, however, I still rely on my parent’s herb garden .
Over the years, I have experimented and fused some of my mom’s cilantro and mint creations into other dishes. For instance, her raita, an Indian yogurt-based condiment, flavoured with spices, mint or cilantro along with grated cucumber is typically served with spicy curries to act as cooling agent. But, I have learned that this flavour packed creamy concoction complements well with dishes like souvlaki, dressing in wraps or simply a dipping sauce for vegetables.
As for the cilantro and mint chutneys that I grew up with, I find that they are a perfect condiment for barbecue favourites like hotdogs and hamburgers. With its sweet and slightly spicy taste, it almost is a great alternative for relish for me. Cilantro also make a great substitute for basil in pesto sauce giving it a similar and yet a whole new flavour profile.
Cilantro and mint bring a refreshing taste to salads. East Indian routine salad is finely chopped cucumber, tomatoes, onion and cilantro or mint; this is seasoned with lime or lemon with sprinkle of salt and pepper. But these flavours can easily be incorporated into pasta, garbanzo, or vegetable salads. One of my favourite salads that I make a few times a week is the mango salad--- combination of mango, red pepper, red onion and bunch of cilantro and sprinkled with lime, dash of garlic salt and pepper. It is a refreshing healthy salad that goes together well with shrimp, chicken or fish.
Mint and cilantro also match up with so many vegetables and fruits, especially summer produce like tomatoes, eggplant, squash, cucumbers, peppers, watermelon, strawberries or pineapple.
Now, here are some of my favorite recipes that wouldn’t be the same without mint or cilantro.
Cilantro and Green Apple Chutney
2 Granny Smith apples, cored, sliced, unpeeled
2cups of cilantro
1 jalapeño pepper, whole
2 inch Garlic
3 ginger clove
1 tablespoon vinegar
1Tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoon water
Place olive oil, water, vinegar into Vitamix. Add cilantro, clove, garlic and pepper. Grind . Then add apples. Grind until smooth paste forms. Chutney can be used with Indian food like samosa, pakora, lentil and vegetable curries t also complements well with chicken and grilled salmon. Great substitute for relish for instance hamburger, hotdog, steak etc.
Vegetable Wrap with Cucumber Mint Raita
(makes 2 servings)
1/2 cup plain non-fat Greek yogurt
1/4 cup grated cucumber
handful fresh mint leaves, chopped
1 green onion, diced
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
dash cayenne pepper
pinch cumin
salt and pepper
2 wheat tortillas
1 tomato, sliced
1/2 bell pepper, sliced
feta, crumbled
Combine raita sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Spread sauce on tortilla and top with remaining vegetables and cheese.
Spicy Shredded Carrot Salad
10 oz (4 cups) shredded carrots
1/2 cup (or more) finely chopped mint
1/2 cup (or more) finely chopped cilantro
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
2 T fresh-squeezed lime juice
1/2 tsp. green Tabasco sauce (could also use finely minced jalapenos or other jalapeno-flavored hot sauce)
3 T extra-virgin olive oil
salt and fresh-ground black pepper to taste
If not using pre-shredded carrots, peel carrots and grate to make 4 cups grated carrots. Wash and dry mint leaves and cilantro, then finely chop. Thinly slice green onions.Mix together lime juice and green Tabasco sauce, then whisk in olive oil.
In a medium salad bowl, mix shredded carrots, chopped mint, chopped cilantro, and sliced green onion. Add dressing and stir until salad ingredients are well-coated with dressing. Season to taste with salt and fresh-ground black pepper and serve.
Mango Salad
2 mangoes, peeled, cored and diced
1red pepper, seeded and sliced
1/2 red onion diced
1/2-3/4 cup cilantro, chopped
Juice of 1 large lime
garlic salt
black pepper
Combine mango, red pepper, onion, and cilantro together in a bowl. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and freshly squeezed lime juice
As in this carrot and mango salad, fresh cilantro and mint bring a refreshing taste to salads.
Madhu Badoni is a Red Deer-based freelance food writer. She can be reached at madhubadoni@gmail.com or on Twitter @madhubadoni. Watch for Madhu’s Masala-Mix blog on www.reddeeradvocate.com.