Forget about the pedestrian Cilantro. How 'bout Culantro?

[NW-Bound]

We have had two threads already about Cilantro, and this common herb stirs up quite a bit of interest.

But how about something less well known, Culantro?

I have had it in some Asian restaurants. I can eat it, but do not use it like cilantro.

Anyone here knows about this herb, and uses it in some dishes? Let's hear some stories.

PS. Here are some interesting facts.

Cilantro originated from the Mediterranean, and yet Europeans do not use it much. On the other hand, culantro comes from Central America, so in the US it should be closer to home. Yet, people do not eat culantro much here.

...Culantro is native to the tropical areas of the Americas and the West Indies, unlike cilantro that originated in the Mediterranean and was introduced to the Americas after European colonization.

 

[audreyh1]

I’ve just been served it occasionally in some Asian restaurants. Didn’t do much for me.

 

[candrew]

We lived in Costa Rica the entirety of last year (2018). Culantro is found there at every Tiangui. Good stuff. We used it just like Cilantro and found that it has a much longer shelf life. Culantro tends to have a stronger flavor than regular cilantro and also holds up better when cooking. We are fans!

 

[Reach]

I grow culantro and use it in place of cilantro, which is hard to come by and harder to grow in tropical climates.

Wouldn't go without it. Leaves are little tougher than cilantro, but flavor profile is the same.

I use it in beans, stews, soups and as a garnish on just about anything. It's an essential ingredient to salsas, bean dips etc., including sofrito.

Recent examples where I used it include:

Chicken of the woods mushroom soup ~ The 3 Foragers: Foraging for Wild, Natural, Organic Food: Chicken Mushroom Recipe - Coconut Mushroom Soup

Chicken tagine ~ https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/moroccan-chicken-tagine.html

 

[RetireBy90]

So the question is does it taste like soap to some people like cilantro ?