Cookbook:Lemongrass
| Lemongrass | |
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| Category | Herbs and spices |
Cookbook | Recipes | Ingredients | Equipment | Techniques | Cookbook Disambiguation Pages | Ingredients | Spices and herbs
Lemongrass—also lemon grass, citronella, and sereh[1][2][3][4]—is an aromatic grassy stalk from South and Southeast Asia that is used as an herb.[5][6][7]
Characteristics
editGrowing from the ground, lemongrass occurs as clusters of grassy stalks.[5][8][9] The stems look somewhat like scallions,[2][4] though they are quite firm and fibrous,[4][10] and they have long, rough leaf blades branching off.[11] The stem bases may be tinged with purple in addition to their light green and white.[11][12] As the name implies, lemongrass carries a grassy lemony aroma,[1][11][6][8] which is due largely to its citral content.[2][3][5] The bottom-most part of the stalk is the most aromatic,[8] though the leaves and higher-up regions do still have some aroma.[5][8][12]
The most common variety of lemongrass used in cooking is West Indian lemongrass (C. citratus),[9] but other varieties such as Malabar/East Indian lemongrass (C. flexuosus), Ceylon citronella (C. nardus), and Java citronella (C. winterianus) also exist.[12][9] The different varieties have slightly different flavor profiles due to differing contents of aromatic compounds like citral, citronellal, etc.
Selection and storage
editLemongrass stalks are sold at local markets, farmers markets, and grocery stores, depending on your location.[10] In areas where lemongrass is not native, it can often be found fresh in specialty Asian grocery stores.[9][10] The leaves may be trimmed from the stalks to varying degrees. Generally, you want to look for fresh stalks that are plump, firm, green, with no drying or browning.[1][6][10] Frozen lemongrass is the next-best option after fresh;[8] if lemongrass stalks are not available either fresh or frozen, try looking for bottled lemongrass paste.[8][10]
If the fresh stalks still have leaves attached, trim them before storage.[6] The fresh stalks will keep for several weeks in the fridge when wrapped in plastic or a cloth.[3][6][8][9] For longer storage, lemongrass can be frozen in airtight containers[6][8][10]—when doing so, it's best to first break it down to the form in which you'll be using it (e.g. small batons, slices, grating).[8][10][9] Dried lemongrass should be kept dry, in airtight containers away from light.[9]
Preparation
editThe first step to using lemongrass stalk is removing any leaves from the stalk and peeling off any dry outer layers.[8][10][12] Cut off and discard the very bottom root portion, then the top where the stalk gets thin and very green[10][9]—you should be left with the meatiest and most aromatic pale bottom portion.[4][6][9] Next, because the aromatic oils are stored well within the tough plant, the stalks must be broken down at least somewhat before use in order to release the flavor.[1][3] When using the stalk in chunks, it is typically bashed and bruised to do so before infusing it into the dish.[3][8][10][12] The stalk may also be very finely sliced or grated/pounded to a paste,[6][8][10][12] which allows the entire thing to disperse in your dish. Note that the outermost portion of the stalk is typically too tough to eat, so only the more tender core is incorporated into the dish in its entirety.[3][12][8]
Use
editOverall, lemongrass is used as an aromatic herb in South(east) Asian cooking,[2][4][5][7] where it flavors anything from soups, stir-fries, tisanes, salads, curry pastes, meat dishes, and more.[2][3][5][12] Lemongrass soup is a well-known example, with variations in the cuisines of multiple countries (e.g. Thai tom yum).[12] The whole stalks may be used as skewers for cooking, which imparts their flavor into the skewered foods.[12]
If working with dried lemongrass, the best application is to simmer it in a dish, which will allow it to rehydrate and slowly perfume the dish.[9] The leaves can be used if you would like to—in this case, tie them into a knot for easy removal after infusion.[3]
Substitution
editSome may suggest lemon zest as a substitute for lemongrass, but doing so will lose some of the subtle aromatic character of lemongrass.
Recipes
editReferences
edit- ↑ a b c d Davidson, Alan (2014-01-01). Jaine, Tom (ed.). The Oxford Companion to Food. Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/acref/9780199677337.001.0001. ISBN 978-0-19-967733-7.
- ↑ a b c d e Friberg, Bo (2016-09-13). The Professional Pastry Chef: Fundamentals of Baking and Pastry. Wiley. ISBN 978-0-470-46629-2.
- ↑ a b c d e f g h Farrimond, Stuart (2018-11-06). The Science of Spice: Understand Flavor Connections and Revolutionize Your Cooking. National Geographic Books. ISBN 978-1-4654-7557-2.
- ↑ a b c d e Labensky, Sarah R.; Hause, Alan M.; Martel, Priscilla (2018-01-18). On Cooking: A Textbook of Culinary Fundamentals. Pearson. ISBN 978-0-13-444190-0.
- ↑ a b c d e f McGee, Harold (2007-03-20). On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 978-1-4165-5637-4.
- ↑ a b c d e f g h Kipfer, Barbara Ann (2012-04-11). The Culinarian: A Kitchen Desk Reference. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. ISBN 978-0-544-18603-3.
- ↑ a b Rinsky, Glenn; Rinsky, Laura Halpin (2008-02-28). The Pastry Chef's Companion: A Comprehensive Resource Guide for the Baking and Pastry Professional. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 978-0-470-00955-0.
- ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Chongchitnant, Pailin (2017-09-26). "Lemongrass 101: How to Cook With It and More". Hot Thai Kitchen. Retrieved 2025-01-14.
- ↑ a b c d e f g h i j Parks, Shoshi (2021-03-23). "How to Use Lemongrass, the MVP of Aromatics". Bon Appétit. Retrieved 2025-01-14.
- ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k Lin, Lisa (2021-03-05). "How to Cook with Lemongrass". Healthy Nibbles by Lisa Lin. Retrieved 2025-01-14.
- ↑ a b c The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) (2011-09-13). The Professional Chef. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 978-0-470-42135-2.
- ↑ a b c d e f g h i j Van Wyk, Ben-Erik (2014-09-26). Culinary Herbs and Spices of the World. University of Chicago Press. ISBN 978-0-226-09183-9.