That's funny, because for me coriander isn't all that soapy. I also know some of my friends hate coriander to the bone precisely because of its soapy taste. Must've been something about food and genetics.
Quite possibly. I'm one of those people who find it a tad difficult to tolerate the smell and taste of cilantro. My dad is fond of the stuff, along with some customers I serve at a produce-grocery store. I wonder what it is that causes that "soapy" taste in cilantro that makes people like me dislike it?
That's funny, because for me coriander isn't all that soapy. I also know some of my friends hate coriander to the bone precisely because of its soapy taste. Must've been something about food and genetics.
Canadabro said:
Quite possibly. I'm one of those people who find it a tad difficult to tolerate the smell and taste of cilantro. My dad is fond of the stuff, along with some customers I serve at a produce-grocery store. I wonder what it is that causes that "soapy" taste in cilantro that makes people like me dislike it?
Coriander leaves/cilantro contain high levels of unsaturated aldehydes, and aldehydes (organic compounds with a terminal carbonyl group, -CHO) are produced as a side-product in the saponification (conversion of fats into soap) process. Decomposition also produces some of the same chemicals, and some insects also use the same chemicals (stink bugs in particular) to ward off predators (so some people would describe the smell as rotten or buggy instead).
There is some genetic basis for it. The gene OR6A2, for example, codes for olfactory receptor proteins that are highly sensitive to aldehydes. Of course, some people without the gene would still describe the taste of cilantro as "soapy", while some with would still like the taste, but IIRC people with the gene tend to dislike cilantro more than they like it.
I think I have the gene as I can sort out the smell of aldehydes quite well at my workplace (even at very low concentrations). I still like cilantro, and I think it's because I pick out the fragrance molecules (mostly essential oils) better. It smells lemony to me.
My theory is that if you're highly sensitive to the smell of aldehydes but less sensitive to the cilantro essential oils, then you'd probably think it tastes like soap/rotten/stinkbugs.
Coriander leaves/cilantro contain high levels of unsaturated aldehydes, and aldehydes (organic compounds with a terminal carbonyl group, -CHO) are produced as a side-product in the saponification (conversion of fats into soap) process. Decomposition also produces some of the same chemicals, and some insects also use the same chemicals (stink bugs in particular) to ward off predators (so some people would describe the smell as rotten or buggy instead).
There is some genetic basis for it. The gene OR6A2, for example, codes for olfactory receptor proteins that are highly sensitive to aldehydes. Of course, some people without the gene would still describe the taste of cilantro as "soapy", while some with would still like the taste, but IIRC people with the gene tend to dislike cilantro more than they like it.
I think I have the gene as I can sort out the smell of aldehydes quite well at my workplace (even at very low concentrations). I still like cilantro, and I think it's because I pick out the fragrance molecules (mostly essential oils) better. It smells lemony to me.
My theory is that if you're highly sensitive to the smell of aldehydes but less sensitive to the cilantro essential oils, then you'd probably think it tastes like soap/rotten/stinkbugs.
No, poison grass?!That's a nice reaction there~ Miss Momiji.
Here, smell.It's... good...What!? What is this.... this smell!?Arrrgggh! Don't bring it to my nose!!!It won't have any meaning if you don't eat coriander together with the Khao Man Kai~~~~!!!Coriander....?What kind of living god plays with food like that!!!?Aaah! No No NO!!!...Herbs?
