Geoff McCabe

Wild Cilantro (Culantro Silvestre)

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Costa Rica Wild Cilantro (Culantro)

 

Culantro, as it’s called in Spanish grows wild here like a dandelion, but without the flower. Many people have it growing around their houses.

The leaves are broad and serrated, a bit sharp even, and they’re much thicker than the cilantro we’re used to buying in the stores, but it tastes identical.

Because it’s thicker and can be sharp, it’s a good idea to mince it very fine when using it.

This is a very hardy plant that behaves like a weed. Once you have it growing, it will re-seed itself and spread, given the chance. In the photo shown here, it doesn’t have the seed stalk yet. Once it matures, a stalk will shoot up from the center and branch out in to a bunch of seed carriers.

Every house in Costa Rica should have a bit of this since it’s so easy to grow and tasty too.

Side note: Some people really hate cilantro, and this is genetic, and a recessed gene. So, two parents who both love cilantro, if they have the cilantro-hating gene, can produce a child who doesn’t like cilantro if both parents end up giving that recessed gene.