Lemongrass

[NickV]

I have lots of lemongrass in my garden at the moment. I was wondering what some of your favorite uses are for it.

[origamicrane]

iced lemongrass and honey green tea :)

others thai green curry and satay :)

[Jason Perlow]

ThaiBurgers aka Larb Balls:

http://recipes.egullet.com/recipes/r563.html

Also Thom Kha Gai soup

and Sauteed Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken/Beef with Caramel Sauce(Ga Xao Xa Ot)

http://www.recipeland.com/g/ga_xao_xa_ot.html

[Bicycle Lee]

lemongrass sorbet

or use it in a dashi poaching liquid for fish...

[Mystic]

Tom Yum Goong!! A Thai classic (if you haven't tried it before).

So aromatic and really captures the essence of lemongrass. It'll clear your head on a summer evening.

Edited July 13, 2004 by Mystic (log)

[Malawry]

I like to add it to chicken broth along with ginger, star anise and garlic. Let steep and then strain out aromatics. Serve as-is, or add miso, or add slivered shiitake mushrooms and seaweed, or drop a beaten egg into it.

I also like lemongrass beurre blanc, served with fish en papillote and pak choi.

[bloviatrix]

I infuse sugar syrup with it. Then I use the syrup in things like sorbet - my favorite is mango lemongrass. I've also used it in a sachet to infuse rhubarb soup (Francois Payard's recipe)

[pim]

Tom Yum Goong!! A Thai classic (if you haven't tried it before).

So aromatic and really captures the essence of lemongrass. It'll clear your head on a summer evening.

If you want to try Tom Yum Goong, I've got a recipe here.

[GG Mora]

I like plain lemongrass tea. Nothing added. It has a natural sweetness and hints of vanilla under the bright citrusy stuff. It's hugely refreshing and thirst-quenching, especially on beastly hot summer days...if we were ever to get any, that is.

I used to have a Viet/Thai food stand at the local farmer's market & every week we'd make 3 gallons of lemongrass tea. We set up at 8:30; the tea was usually gone by 10.

[Mystic]

If you want to try Tom Yum Goong, I've got a recipe here.

Thanks Pim! Guess supplying a recipe might help.

[sabg]

I like plain lemongrass tea. Nothing added. It has a natural sweetness and hints of vanilla under the bright citrusy stuff. It's hugely refreshing and thirst-quenching, especially on beastly hot summer days...if we were ever to get any, that is.

I used to have a Viet/Thai food stand at the local farmer's market & every week we'd make 3 gallons of lemongrass tea. We set up at 8:30; the tea was usually gone by 10.

do you boil it or just let it steep in hot water? thanks

[curlywurlyfi]

someone, and I can't remember who but it's in one of the Books For Cooks numbers, uses lemongrass sticks as skewers for chicken/fish kebabs. never tried it, but thought it sounded like a good plan.

[origamicrane]

rosemary stalks for skewer yep

but lemongrass for skewers? wouldn;t lemon grass stalk be too thick?

it be hard to skewer stuff.

In malaysia they use shredded lemongrass to make a basting brush for satay

adds a really nice aroma to the satay.

sabg Posted on Jul 15 2004, 08:20 AM

do you boil it or just let it steep in hot water? thanks

chop and bruise the lemongrass into 1 cm bits

add water

bring it to a boil

add green tea bag or leaves

add sugar or honey to taste

and then chill in a fridge

its very refreshing.

[curlywurlyfi]

hmmmm you're probably right. Would have to peel them, or it might have been for kebabs of the minced meat variety?

sorry, need coffee.

[origamicrane]

arrr... minced meat kebabs, yes, i can see that working

hmmm that reminds me of vietnamese chao tom, minced prawn wrapped around a piece of sugar cane and deep fried.

hmmm........ could try the same thing with the lemon grass.

mince up some meat with some sweet basil, garlic and seasoning

and wrap it round a stalk of bruised lemongrass

it might just work.

[NickV]

Thanks for all of the lemongrass suggestions. I wound up making mussels in a lemongrass broth, a standby of mine. There's a picture of it on my burgeoning food blog, which should be linked below.

Thanks again,

Nick

[tsquare]

I made some simple syrup with fresh lemongrass and added a little to bubble water for a nice light soda. Take that Dry Soda and the like.

[Peter Green]

rosemary stalks for skewer yep

but lemongrass for skewers? wouldn;t lemon grass stalk be too thick?

it be hard to skewer stuff.

←

We use lemon grass stalks to skewer prawns all the time. It adds a nice background to steaming in particular (and it keeps the prawns straight.

But, my current favourite is stuffed lemon grass.

Make up a mince of whatever takes your fancy (chicken, beef, pork, etc...)

Slit the central section of the stalk 6 times and flex to create a cage that you can accordion.

Put the stuffing into the middle of the "cage".

And then either roll the whole thing in egg and flour and deep fry, or else wrap in banana leaf and grill.

I'm having fun with this, as you can really play around with the stuffing. But stick with things that'll carry the lemon grass and not overpower it.