Welcome to A Sprinkle of Cilantro!

Why “A Sprinkle of Cilantro”?

Cilantro is the one fresh herb I have on hand at all times. I love its vibrant green color (so much that I considered tiling my whole kitchen with cilantro-green colored tiles at one point), grassy scent, and invigorating flavor. And as a very practical cook, I love its versatility for use not only in the Indian cooking of my heritage, but also in Asian, Mexican, Mediterranean, and many other cuisines.

When I was growing up, my mom and my aunts would put the finishing touch on their steaming dishes of lentils and vegetables, or a cool cucumber raita, by carefully sprinkling a handful of fresh, chopped cilantro on top before calling everyone over to eat. A bowl of previously dried lentils or chickpeas would come alive with spices, fresh chopped onions, and green cilantro leaves on top. In our house, cilantro was typically applied as a garnish when we had company, so I came to associate the herb with festive get-togethers and family gatherings, and to this day still feel like topping a dish off with cilantro gives it a little extra zazz.

If every cooking experience is an adventure, I find that the point at which you sprinkle that cilantro on food signifies the most exhilarating part of the journey. Why? Because it represents the precise and special moment when your efforts as a chef are complete, your dish is fresh, prepared, and picture perfect, and ready to be fed to the people you love.

Having said all of this, there are some folks for whom cilantro literally tastes like soap. So if cilantro’s not your herb of choice, don’t fret. Maybe you can identify better with the placement of a fresh sprig of rosemary, or a sprinkle of parsley or mint. For the purpose of this cooking blog, it is not cilantro itself but rather the engagement of all the senses that is important, and therefore it is “A Sprinkle of Cilantro” that will be my muse.

Thank you for joining this very exciting journey and let’s get started!