Frozen Lemongrass

[TdeV]

Lemongrass , harvested from my garden, is now sitting in my freezer in 6" long sticks.

 

Do I add the whole stick to a dish? Or thaw it first and then slice it cross-wise in 1/8" thick bits?

 

I have a vague memory of lemongrass added to a dish which became pulpy and woody - no fun to eat (something I'd like to avoid.)

[C. sapidus]

I have used pre-chopped frozen lemongrass. Not quite the same as fresh but it will do in a pinch.

 

For frozen lemongrass stalks, I would either: 1) thaw and slice thinly; or 2) thaw at least partially and bash up with a heavy object, followed by tying into a knot if practicable.

 

I am curious, though - if you simmer a whole frozen stalk in liquid, do you get the flavor you want, or does the lemongrass need to be sliced or bruised to release the flavor?

[TdeV]

2 minutes ago, C. sapidus said:

I am curious, though - if you simmer a whole frozen stalk in liquid, do you get the flavor you want, or does the lemongrass need to be sliced or bruised to release the flavor?

 

No idea. @KennethT ?

[KennethT]

I have no ideas about frozen lemongrass - I've always thought that it lost its flavor quickly when frozen.  As to usage, the most helpful thing I can think of is that it varies.  In many Malay/Indonesian/Nyonya recipes, it is used whole and typically, as Bruce says, it's bruised and tied in a knot, which makes it easy to remove when serving and keeps it from splitting into individual long fibers while being constantly stirred while simmering.  But, some curry pastes will blend the lemongrass in with other ingredients.  I think it depends on how long it will be cooked for - if it's going to simmer for hours, it's better to leave it whole - but if the paste is to be quickly fried and simmered a short time, it would be pounded/blended into the paste. But there may not be 100% consistency in that.  In most Vietnamese dishes I've seen, it is sliced thinly (thinner than 1/8") or minced.  I had a version of Bo la lot (beef with betel leaves) in a farm area that grew all of its own herbs and the lemongrass was sliced thin and scattered over the beef while being grilled, and it melted in your mouth.

 

 

I used to make a lemongrass chicken (ga xao sa ot) which finely minces several sticks of lemongrass along with a lot of garlic.

 

One thing I will say though is that fresh lemongrass is very different from what I get in the store.  I grow my own, and the stalks are not the desiccated husks that are sold in stores and turn to sawdust when chopped or sliced - they're juicy enough that if I bash them with a pestle on the cutting board, juice comes out, or are pretty tender if sliced thinly.  I don't know what would happen to them if I freeze them.  Since I grow them indoors, I only harvest about 5 minutes before I use it, letting the rest continue growing.

[liuzhou]

1 hour ago, KennethT said:

I have no ideas about frozen lemongrass - I've always thought that it lost its flavor quickly when frozen.

 

Me neither. I'd be very surprised if it's ever frozen in SE Asia. 

 

1 hour ago, KennethT said:

One thing I will say though is that fresh lemongrass is very different from what I get in the store.

 

Absolutely. Same here even though we're only a stone's throw from Vietnam. I did grow it but haven't done since I moved house. Must restart. 

 

The best I've had in China was in an Indonesian style restaurant in Nanning where they used it as skewers for grilled chicken. Really flavoured the bird  meat. They grew it and other herbal exotica in the restaurant garden which you were encouraged to visit.

 

 

Edited Sunday at 07:08 PM by liuzhou (log)

[rotuts]

I have frozen lemon grass that Ive peeled to get to the inner stalks.

 

then vac'd and froze.  I take a stalk out , cut it down the center line

 

so that there are 1/2 ' leaves

 

I pound it a bit , then add it whole to items id like a little lemongrass flavor.

 

especially rice .  the do the same w frozen ginger :  a slice or two , pounded a bit , and added to a dish

 

especially rice.  removed before eating.

 

 it adds a pleasant flavor that i enjoy .  

 

lemon grass is a bit easier to purchase these days , MarketBasket has it .

 

but id do the same w that as I do with frozen.