Cilantro stems are the most flavorful part of the herb — they carry more concentrated taste than the leaves and are essential in Indian cooking for chutneys, curries, and masala bases. This guide explains why you should always use the stems and how to prep them.

Did you know that the deepest flavor of cilantro rests in the large stems?  Those thin stalks that many don’t think twice about tossing in the garbage can enliven your Indian cooking and also be used to make fabulous chutney.

If you’re cooking any stovetop Indian dish just chop them up and toss them into your base after you’ve browned the onion or at the same time you would add fresh garlic and ginger.  They will add freshness and yet another layer of flavor to your sauteed vegetable dishes like Gobi Masala and your curries like Chicken Rasedar.

When making chutney, using the whole stem along with the leaves makes for a thicker and more intensely flavored condiment. It's the perfect dressing for all your South Asian dishes and crosses borders easily by simply replacing ketchup, mustard or pesto for it. It's also a fabulous dip. Check out this 5-minute recipe for cilantro mint chutney.

We’ve really come full circle now!  Ground coriander seed is used as a base spice for many Indian dishes.  The same seed is planted to grow cilantro.  By using the stems and leaves for cooking, garnishing and making chutney, not a drop of this amazing spice/herb is wasted and so much flavor is created!

How else would you use cilantro stems? Tell us!

shop moji masala!