Lemongrass
is a stalky plant with a lemony scent that grows in many tropical climates,
most notably in Southeast-Asia. A common ingredient in Thai cooking, lemongrass
provides a zesty lemon flavor and aroma to many Thai dishes. Lemon juice (or
lime) may be substituted for lemongrass in a pinch, but citrus fruits will not
be able to fully replicate its particular qualities.
There
is a marketplace I love that is located in the Berkshires of Massachusetts, in
both Great Barrington and Lenox. It is
called Guido’s market and I have no doubt I have mentioned it before. It offers many of the same items as Whole
Foods, but it just has a homier, less commercial feel and some food options I
just don’t find elsewhere. I stopped
into the Lenox location yesterday on my way home from a weekend in Vermont and
I stumbled upon a woody looking ingredient in the produce section I had never
seen before. It turned out to be
lemongrass!
Lemongrass, traditionally a Thai spice often found in soups, is also thought to have numerous benefits in combating colds, flus, headaches, coughs and perhaps even some cancers. Chewing on the stalk even provides a natural tooth brushing!
If you want to buy some and start from scratch, look for firm stalks with a green upper stem, and a pale yellow lower stem. Strip off the tougher outer leaves, cut off the root and slice into pieces. If you “bruise” them the flavor releases even more. Of course, you can always check the freezer section for some that is more ready to use.
One of the simplest uses for lemongrass is to put some into hot water and steep it like you would tea. You could even add it to some green tea if you like, giving it a lemony scent and flavor. It is also great when making a stir-fry. For a spa-like experience, throw some into a warm bath to soothe aching muscles! Here are some vegan recipes I found online (I cannot credit the chef as none was listed) you may want to try: Lemongrass Coconut Sorbet
10 stalks lemongrass
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 cup coconut milk (stir before measuring) Peel the tough outer layers from the lemongrass and discard them. Cut the remainder into 1cm lengths. In a saucepan over high heat, combine lemongrass, sugar, salt and 2 1/2 cups water. Stir until liquid comes to the boil. Reduce heat, simmer, stirring occasionally, until light golden, about 20 minutes. Pour through a fine strainer, pressing on the solids to extract moisture. Discard solids. Place the bowl in a larger bowl of ice water and stir syrup until cool, about 5 minutes. Stir in lemon juice. Whisk in t he coconut milk. If mixture is lumpy, pour through a fine strainer. Pour into an ice cream maker and freeze. Or freeze in a suitable dish until just firm , 2-4 hours. Scoop into bowls, or scrape with a large form to form a slushy ice. Serve immediately. Minted Lemongrass Sorbet
3 stalks lemongrass, outer leaves discarded
3 cups water
3/4 cups fresh mint leaves
3/4 cups sugar Thinly slice as much of lemongrass stalks as possible, discarding dried thin upper portion. In a saucepan simmer water with lemongrass, covered, 5 minutes. Add mint and simmer, uncovered, 1 minute. Remove pan from heat and add sugar, stirring until dissolved. In a blender, puree mixture and strain through a fine sieve into a bowl, pressing hard on solids. Chill syrup, covered, until cold and freeze in an ice-cream maker. Sorbet may be made 1 week ahead. A piece of ginger root may be used instead of the mint, if desired. Lemongrass Syrup
sugar
water
sliced lemongrass
lemongrass stalks Combine equal parts of sugar and water and a generous amount of sliced lemongrass core in a small saucepan. Simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat and cool. Fill a jar with a few lemon grass stalks. Strain syrup into jar. Cover and keep in the refrigerator. Use to poach pears and apricots, or brush over a basic cake, or drizzle some over cold mango. Tomato Lemongrass Salsa
2 stalks lemongrass
2 green or red chilles, finely chopped
1 large tomato, coarsely diced
1 small red onion, finely diced
2 tablespoons chopped coriander
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
salt Combine all ingredients and let sit at room temperature for about one hour, then refrigerate. Use within one day.
