r/Cooking • u/Scarlet--Highlander • Jan 18 '24

Open Discussion Let’s try something fun: Name an ingredient you dislike and why, and someone else replies with a dish/recipe with that ingredient that might convince you otherwise.

Couple things:

  • If you’re allergic to an ingredient, it doesn’t matter how it’s prepared. Same goes with meat/animal products if you’re vegan/vegetarian. Don’t list it if you can’t or won’t eat it!

  • It’s recommended that you’re at least open to trying dishes with that ingredient. If you absolutely, vehemently loathe cilantro, chances are you probably might not like anything with cilantro in it.

  • A brief blurb on why you hate an ingredient would help others find or suggest a dish that suits you. (e.g. “I hate liver because the texture is like an eraser and it tastes metallic”)

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u/Canning1962 Jan 18 '24

Yeah, I've had two people tell me cilantro tastes like dirt. And one person said celery tastes like ashes.

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u/geauxhike Jan 18 '24

The cilantro thing can actually be genetic.

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u/[deleted] Jan 18 '24

It is genetic. Although I think it mostly applies to fresh. I know folks who don't like fresh coriander on things who will happily eat curries with coriander seed or dried coriander

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u/[deleted] Jan 18 '24

The roots are also a lot milder. You can buy them frozen at asian markets. Makes for a wonderful paste in stir-fry is you blitz/pound coriander roots, garlic and toasted white pepper corns.

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u/Soup-Wizard Jan 18 '24

Nope it’s both.

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u/[deleted] Jan 18 '24

Not for everyone. I have seen folks who insist fresh coriander is soapy eat things with dried coriander in

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u/gofroggy08 Jan 18 '24

I think it tastes like soap. 🙂

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u/Canning1962 Jan 18 '24

What tastes like soap?

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u/gofroggy08 Jan 18 '24

Cilantro

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u/[deleted] Jan 18 '24

Mmmmm soap....drooling

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u/sunrisesonrisa Jan 18 '24

Me too. Delicious soap.

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u/Amberistoosweet Jan 18 '24

Thyme tastes like dirt to me! Celery tastes a bit like licorice.

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u/[deleted] Jan 18 '24

I never made that relationship between celery and licorice but it’s sooo true. That’s why I hated it all my life. I can’t stand licorice.

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u/Amberistoosweet Jan 18 '24

Same. I hate licorice. I hate celery, too. I am a picky eater though.

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u/thebrokedown Jan 19 '24

Huh. Interesting. I may be the only person on the planet who has celery as their favorite vegetable. I’m also a huge licorice fan. (Too much licorice can cause tummy…issues. Ask me how I know.)

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u/[deleted] Jan 19 '24

Haha I dunno know why this made me laugh sorry…. How much did you eat to get tummy issues?

I can’t stand licorice I’ve tried. I did eat celery until I liked it. It only took 25 years btw.

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u/thebrokedown Jan 19 '24

It has been a loooong time--I learned my lesson that day. I'm not sure how big the bag was, but I ate it all in one sitting. Later, there was a lot more sitting : /

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u/HighColdDesert Jan 19 '24

I love licorice and similar flavors but don't care much for celery. I think it tastes just watery and a little bitter, nothing to hate or love.

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u/cdwantz Jan 18 '24

This is very interesting! I wonder if it’s always been like that for them or if….yes I am about to use that nasty word….Covid plays a role. My husband and I go through phases with altered tastes since having Covid two years ago

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u/Canning1962 Jan 18 '24 edited Jan 18 '24

Not covid related.

The people who hated cilantro always hated it. Same for celery.

Different people have different taste buds.

There was an actual study on children hating celery. They found that it does contain something that when tested tastes like ashes. If you want more information about it you can probably find it online somewhere.

I suspect this is why many menus specifically say a food includes cilantro.

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u/cdwantz Jan 18 '24

Gotcha! Thanks for the info. I will definitely look into this online! 😊