Cilantro Roots Recipes by Linda Esposito

Special thanks to  Linda Esposito of @flavorexplosions for a few recipes using cilantro roots. If you don't have a use for the roots right now, you can easily freeze them. 

Gai Yaang

Serves: 8

Marinade:
6 coriander roots, or about 1/2 cup coriander stems
8 cloves garlic, chopped
½ teaspoon kosher salt 
1 teaspoon white pepper
2 Tablespoons palm sugar
6 Tablespoons fish sauce
8 5-oz chicken breast, skin on, airline

Optional: Brine chicken in 1 qt water, ¼ cup salt, ¼ cup brown sugar, aromatics.  2 hours. 

Use a mini food processor  or mortar and pestle and grind the cilantro roots, garlic, salt, pepper, and sugar to a fine paste.  Add the fish sauce and pulse to emulsify.   Pour the marinade over the chicken and work in the marinade. Cover and set aside for a few hours, or overnight.  

Preheat the oven 400F.  On a grill pan, sear chicken, about 3 mins until grill marks form.  Transfer to oven and roast another 7- 10 minutes or until internal temperature hits 165F. Serve with Thai sweet chili sauce.

Thai Sweet Chili Sauce

1/2 cup water 
3/4 cup sugar 
3/4 cup white vinegar 
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons ginger, minced
6 Fresno chile, seeded. finely chopped
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, as needed

To make dipping sauce, place water, sugar, vinegar, garlic, ginger and chili in a small saucepan. Heat over high heat until mixture boils, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves. Continue boiling until sauce is reduced by half, about 10 to 20 minutes, until jammy consistency. Allow dipping sauce to cool to room temperature. Taste and season with salt. Set aside.
 

Thai Red Curry Paste

Makes ½ cup

3 Tablespoons lemongrass, chopped
1 Tablespoon galangal, sliced
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon fresh turmeric, chopped
1 Tablespoon cilantro roots, chopped 
1 Tablespoon sand ginger, Chinese keys (optional)
2 Fresno chilies 
5 Red Thai bird eye chilies (unseeded if spicier version is preferred)
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 Tablespoon makrut lime leaves, chiffonade
2 Tablespoons garlic, chopped
3 Tablespoons shallot, chopped
1 teaspoon coriander seeds, roasted, ground
1 teaspoon white pepper peppercorn, ground
1 Tablespoon shrimp paste or 2 Tablespoons fish sauce (soy sauce, if vegetarian)

Place all ingredients in a blender, with the most fibrous ingredients first, blend till a fine paste.   

Store in fridge or place in ice cubes and freeze.