It's gotto have Cilantro!

I often get calls from people asking if they can speak to Cilantro, or if this is Cilantro’s kitchen. No, my name is not Cilantro and also for the record I’m not married to a Spaniard!

The one question I’m most regularly asked by friends, family and strangers is how I came up with ‘The Cilantro Kitchen’ as a name for my venture. My instinctive answer is to say, “Coz I love to cook with it” seconded by, “I can’t do without Cilantro” and then I go about giving a lengthy (not called for) speech on how it is the best herb in my kitchen. Honestly, I don’t care for any other herb…the excessive sharpness of Parsley or overpowering Thyme and probably Rosemary can very well remain the name of a sweet little girl I once knew. It’s gotto to be Cilantro!

I time and again wonder where I got this obsession for Cilantro from. Apparently, the most obvious answer, it’s gotto be my roots… I’m Indian you see and we can’t do without our Dhaniya. Oh did I mention Cilantro has many many names. One can also know it as Corriander leaves (they have seeds too) or Chinese Parsley, Culantro and Vietnamese Parsley even. Though the latter two belong to a different generic family and should not be confused with Cilantro (Spanish name for the Corriander plant). Indians ofcoz know it best as Dhaniya patha! If you wanna read up more about Cilantro, please do feel free to Wiki it… :)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coriander

It’s an obsession undoubtedly… no meal I cook in my kitchen is ever complete without a generous garnish of freshly chopped Cilantro! Like Fennel or say even Mushrooms or Aubergine… Cilantro tends to develop an either you love me or you hate me kinda relationship with most people. If you are addicted to Indian, Thai, Mexican, Spanish, Chinese, Cajun or even Mediterranean cuisines… you sure ought to like (read love) Cilantro. And my kitchen surely brims with flavors from these regions and I love how just a sprinkle of chopped Cilantro can lift up a boring soup or spruce up an under-dressed salad. The moment I wash a bunch of Cilantro, run my knife delicately through them, the aroma just captivates me. Well…I can go on and on…simply put…the burst of flavor that Cilantro releases; no other herb could ever match.

Now that I have established my deep rooted love for this herb, you can understand why it’s an obvious choice to name my endeavor after the very ingredient I just can’t do without. It’s this commitment kinda thing I have going on with Cilantro… everything I cook…It’s gotto have Cilantro in The Cilantro Kitchen.

So here is my salute to this herb and I bring you two recipes, where East meets West to celebrate my favorite herb straight from my favoritest hangout spot…The Cilantro Kitchen. Happy Cilantroing :)

Caramelized Onion and Cilantro Pesto Pizza

Ingredients:

For the pizza dough• 2 cups whole meal flour (plain flour can be used as well)

• 1 cup warm water

• 1 sachet active dry yeast

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• ½ teaspoon salt

For the caramelized onions• 3 large brown onions, sliced finely

• ½ cup water

• ½ teaspoon chilli flakes

• salt and pepper to taste

For the Cilantro pesto• 2 cups fresh Cilantro

• ¼ cup Almonds

• ½ cup Grana Padano or any other hard cheese like Parmigiano Reggiano or Parmesan

• 2 cloves of garlic

• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil

• salt and pepper to taste

1. First prepare the dough. Put the dry ingredients in a food processor. Switch it on and add the oil and water until it combines and forms a ball. Remove and knead on a floured surface until smooth. Coat with olive oil and leave in a warm area to rise for about an hour.

2. Heat some olive oil in a wide frying pan. Put in the chilli flakes and fry until fragrant. Add the onions and salt and cook until softened (but not caramelized yet). Now add the water and turn up the heat a bit. Stir at regular intervals until the water has evaporated and the onions are a rich brown.

3. While the onions are cooking make the pesto. Combine all ingredients in a blender and whiz until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning accordingly. If you prefer more garlic or a stronger cheese flavor add more of the required ingredient accordingly.

4. Heat the oven to 400F / 200C. Roll out the dough on a floured surface to fit a greased 12” pizza pan or a medium-sized roasting tin. Spread the pesto over the pizza base and top with the caramelised onions.

5. Drop the oven’s heat to 200F / 100C before you put the pizza in. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the base is crisp and cooked through. Slice and serve immediately.

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Coriander, Curry and Yogurt Crusted Tofu with Cilantro Pesto

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup plain yogurt

• 1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1 tablespoon whole coriander seed, crushed

• 2 teaspoons mild curry powder

• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

• 1 -2 tablespoon olive oil

• 4 pieces tofu, fillets, about 6 ounces each

• Cilantro Pesto (see recipe above) and Lettuce leaves (to garnish)

1. In a small bowl, stir together the yogurt, garlic and cumin. In a separate bowl combine the coriander seeds, curry, salt and pepper.

2. In a very large nonstick skillet or sauté pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, dip the tofu into the yogurt mixture to lightly coat each side, and then sprinkle each side with the curry mixture, dividing the seasoning evenly among all the tofu.

3. Immediately place tofu in the hot pan and cook until just done, about 2½ minutes on each side. Serve on a bed of lettuce with a generous layering of Cilantro Pesto.

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