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Lemon GrassInformation about Lemon GrassFeatured Ingredient - Thailand
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Lemon grass (dtakrai) belongs to the plant family Poaceae (grass). There are about 55 species most of which are native to South Asia, and Australia but the "East-Indian" lemon grass (Cymbopogon flexuosus) which is native to India, Burma and Thailand is the type most of us will use in cooking.
Lemon grass has slender stalks about a foot long. For cooking use the stalks only and choose thick, light green stalks that feel firm all along its length and that are not dried out and wilted. Cut off the woody root tip of each stalk until the purplish-tinted rings begin to show and remove the loose, dry outer layer(s). Also, if the top of the stalk is dry and fibrous trim this off too. When using it in cooked dishes, bang it with a cleaver to cruise the membranes and release more flavour. To store fresh lemon grass, wrap well in clingfilm and refrigerate. Depending on how fresh it was when purchased, it will keep for up to three weeks. It is also available in dry or powdered forms however, when using dried lemon grass it should be soaked in warm water to soften it before use. It's perfectly ok for cooked dishes, but don't bother using it where a recipe calls for fresh uncooked lemon grass, such as in salads.
You will find recipes using this fragrant plant on both the Thailand Cooking by Country main page and in other sections of this web site. Use the search facility to find them all. Happy Cooking! |
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