Papalo Came to My Rescue

Unable to grow cilantro most of the year because of our exptremely warm climate, I have long been searching for an attractive, fast growing alternative.   Papalo, also known as Bolivian Coriander or Papaloquelite, is currently at the top of my list.  The word papalo means butterfly-shaped, and quelite is a Spanish term for any small tender edible green, such as lambsquarters, for example.   Curiously, online searches for Bolivian Coriander usually bring up the alternative name Quillquina or Killi, whereas searching for Papalo normally do not.

The botanical name is porophyllum ruderale and it does not taste exactly like cilantro, but there is a distinct similarity.  In fact, I prefer the flavor of the Papalo.  It must be eaten fresh, however, as unlike coriander leaves, the flavor will not hold up dried or cooked.  Since we grow ours indoors in liquid nutrient solution instead of in dirt, grabbing a handful fresh from the plant is as easy as it is rewarding.

I am completely dumbfounded as to why some people upon encountering this herb for the first time compare its aroma to laundry soap, but perhaps it is an acquired taste.  It took me less than a second to acquire it, however. 

Like everything else I grow, I sprout it first, generally with the help of AeroGarden, and then when the plant is a few inches tall, nestle it among some small diameter Hydroton grow rocks in a container about the size of a tall drinking glass with holes punched in the bottom for drainage.  That container is then nested inside another slightly larger container to create a home-brew passive micro ebb-and-flow hydroponics planter.  To put it simply, every day or so, I lift the inner container up to allow the nutrient solution to drain off the rocks and then slowly lower it back down to saturated the rocks again, topping off with fresh water as needed.  This is not work, because it gives me an excuse to pinch off a small leaf to nibble on, or at very least I get the reward of being able to smell the wonderful aroma this plant releases every time I brush against it. 

This pretty little herb seems to be taking the culinary world by storm, because whereas even just a few months ago, it was hard to get much information about it at all, now an online search brings up hundreds of references.  Of course, some of them are my own.  Try it, and I suspect you will want to grow some and probably even write about it, too.