Coriander / cilantro

芫茜

whets the appetiteeases indigestion發汗透疹（傳統）去腥增香

Fresh coriander sold in roots-on bunches. The roots go into the pot early to draw out their deep aroma, the leaves at the end; in Cantonese soups it lifts fish-slice and century-egg pots, masking rawness with its bright fragrance.

TCM properties

Nature · warming　Flavour · pungent　Meridians · lung、spleen、stomach

Traditional food therapy

In Cantonese food therapy coriander is used to open the appetite and disperse stagnation, and tradition credits the warm, pungent herb with promoting mild sweating.

Cautions — read first

Chinese medicine counts it a 發物, a food said to trigger flare-ups, so those with skin conditions or sores should eat only a little
Not suitable where heat toxin is heavy, or once a rash has already come out
Those with qi deficiency and heavy sweating should eat only a little

Preparation

Using it with the roots on gives a stronger flavour: the roots go into the soup first to boil the taste out, and the leaves go in later.

Origin

澳洲香草欄本地種植 — Australian herb bunches are locally grown

Availability in Australia

Common at Asian grocers · A$4.49–4.49 / bunch
fresh herbs coriander bunch

Pairs well with

Century egg Fish slices (grass carp fillet)Tofu Fresh ginger

Soups that use this ingredient · 1

Coriander, century egg and fish slice soupNot yet surveyed (we say so honestly)

芫茜皮蛋魚片湯

clears heatcools internal firestrengthens the spleenAll year

街市Coriander / cilantro· 75 g街市Century egg· 1 to 2街市Fish slices (grass carp fillet)· 225 g街市Fresh ginger· 3 to 4 slices

“Heaty? Then this is the pot.”