Coriander is a very interesting spice, with opinions on both love and hate being quite polarized. Some even say it smells like soap. This stark contrast in love and hate for cilantro may stem from differences in people’s olfactory receptor genes. Here’s how to cook cilantro.

Whether you like the smell of cilantro is determined by olfactory receptor genes.

Coriander has a distinctive odor that some find pleasant, while others find it dreadful.

This aroma comes from aldehyde compounds in cilantro. The smell of cilantro is detected differently by the olfactory receptor genes that detect odors. Research by American researchers and others has found that a specific combination of genes encoding aldehydes in the olfactory receptor gene OR6A2 is sensitive to the odor of aldehydes, thus affecting the ability to detect the smell of cilantro.

This olfactory receptor gene has two variants. One variant causes people to perceive the smell of cilantro as similar to the odor of soap or bugs, as these substances also contain aldehydes.

Coriander Dishes from Around the World

Coriander is actually used in cuisines across many countries, originating from medieval Mediterranean sources.

In Mediterranean and European regions, coriander and coriander seeds are often used with seafood and other dishes. Spicy and sour Southeast Asian cuisines like Thai and Vietnamese often use coriander to enhance flavor.

Indian curries also feature a touch of coriander. As for Chinese stir-fries, oyster noodles, and pork meatball soup, sprinkling coriander to enhance flavor has become a symbol of Chinese style.

How to Cook Coriander

In China, coriander is used as a spice to garnish dishes, and indeed, it’s rarely used extensively in dishes. However, I’m sharing a few delicious coriander dishes that are “super delicious this way!” for all you coriander lovers to try. This time, we won’t be sprinkling coriander in soups. Did you know that coriander pairs well with meat? Finely mince it, rub it into meatballs, pan-fry them into patties, or wrap it into coriander dumplings—surprising combinations.

Just like a basil omelet, minced cilantro mixed into an egg omelet is also a great accompaniment to rice. Alternatively, mince cilantro or blend it into a cilantro juice, mix it into the batter, and fry it into cilantro pancakes, just like scallion pancakes. The subtle cilantro aroma will keep you coming back for more.

I’ve discovered another unique cilantro dish: cilantro can be combined with rice cakes to create fried cilantro rice cakes. Mix the rice cake batter with plenty of cilantro, dip the rice cakes in cilantro, and deep-fry them. It’s said to be incredibly delicious! Do you have any leftover rice cakes from the Lunar New Year? Give it a try.