The flavour intensity of lemongrass varies widely depending on the climate where it was grown. The plants stems, leaves and base smell of fresh lemons with a hint of ginger. When cooking with lemongrass it’s best to season by taste rather than using quantities listed in recipes and can be used in a variety of dishes ranging from soups to desserts.
Lemongrass is fibrous and stringy and unpleasant to eat so remember to bash before cooking to release flavour and remove stalks before serving.
Lemongrass is typically sold fresh (a bunch of 3-4 stalks aprox one foot long), but it’s also available dried and powdered (sereh). One teaspoon of powder is roughly equivalent to one fresh stalk. You can also buy prepared, ready-to-use lemongrass in tubs in the freezer section of your local Asian/Chinese grocery store. Dried lemongrass slices should be soaked for two hours before using.
When purchasing fresh lemongrass, look for firm stalks (not soft or rubbery, which means it’s too old). Lower stalk should be pale yellow (almost white) in colour, while upper stalks are green (do not purchase if outer leaves are crusty or brown). Lemongrass can be kept in the fridge for three weeks and frozen up to six months.
Most of the flavour is in the thicker bulb end, which can be added whole to dishes, or peeled, then crushed or chopped. Lemon grass is often coupled with coconut milk, chilies, cilantro, and garlic.
Keep pieces small for eating and larger for flavouring.Use the entire stalk, which will be cut and prepped in different ways depending on the dish. Discard the dry, outermost stalks and cut off the top third of the inner stalks. Trim each root tip until the purple rings are visible.
Press the stem with the flat side of a knife to bruise and release the flavour. This is essential when infusing soups and syrups.
Do you… Frequently or urgently need to urinate Often only pass small amounts of urine Have Pain or burning sensation when urinating These can be symptoms of urinary tract infections. There
Disclaimer – Our intent is not to diagnosis but to offer information on therapy choices and practitioners. Information on this site is intended general educational purposes only. Any statements made are carefully referenced and any information, products or services discussed are not intended to diagnose, cure, treat or prevent any disease or illness. Please consult a healthcare practitioner before making a choice.
