Cilantro is an herb with bright green, delicate leaves that tastes fresh and citrusy to some people but soapy and unpleasant to others. This split happens because of genetics: some people inherit genes that make cilantro taste like dish soap, while others taste the herb's usual flavor.

Cilantro grows from the same plant as the spice coriander (which comes from the seeds), but the leaves taste completely different. It's a staple ingredient in Mexican, Indian, Thai, and Vietnamese cooking. You'll find it chopped fresh over tacos, stirred into salsa, or scattered on top of curry and pho.

The leaves look a bit like flat parsley, which confuses people at the grocery store. Cilantro has a much stronger, more distinctive taste, though. Chefs almost always add it at the end of cooking or use it raw, since heat destroys its flavor quickly. Some families keep it growing in pots on a windowsill.

Some people avoid cilantro because of the soap taste. Others love the citrusy version and add it to many different foods.