CORIANDER FOR CURRY 49 



The plant is largely grown in the East Indies, 

 where they call it Soyah, and use it both as a pot- 

 herb and in physic; very likely in incantations 

 also. 



Coriander, Coriandrum sativum, grows about the 

 same height as Dill, and the flower-heads are of 

 much the same size. The two plants look well 

 side by side, for they bloom at the same time. 

 Coriander flowers are delicately pretty, of a pale 

 mauve colour, almost white. But the best time 

 for Coriander is when the seeds are ripe and every- 

 body is asked to taste them and say what they are 

 reminded of. The flavour seems familiar, yet you 

 cannot put a name to it. It is those funny little 

 rough-coated pink or white sugar-plums found in 

 the best mixed sweets. When you have done with 

 the sugar and got down to the seed, you know what 

 Coriander tastes like. Extremely good. A lady 

 told me that a Spanish cook she had, positively 

 refused to make a curry without Coriander seeds. 

 They are perfectly round, like tiny balls. The 

 manna so mysteriously rained from Heaven was 

 compared to Coriander — 



' That hangs on slightest threads her trembling seeds.' 



As soon as the seeds are ripe they fall, leaving 



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