Lemongrass

Lemongrass is a plant that looks like grass, smells minty and tastes similar to lemons. However, lemons are not a good substitute for lemongrass.

Keep fresh lemongrass in a jar of water, it will stay fresher than in a fridge. Lemongrass's stem and leaves are used. For soup, my mother would fold the whole lemongrass a few times and tie it leaves around the fold. Then she would drop it in a pot of water.

Lemongrass tea - my mother's recipe. Slice up lemongrass across the stem. Sun dry or oven dry. Toast it in a pan until light brown. Steep a teaspoon in hot water. It is ready. Or if you like it cold, add sugar and ice.

If you live in Southern California or other warm climate, you can plant the lemongrass outdoors. Get a few stems from an Asian grocery store or farmers market, put them in a glass of water. You need just an inch of water only. Let them grow roots before sticking them in the ground outside. Cats love them.

Recipes made with lemongrass

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  Mushroom Tom Yum

  Tom Yum Hed

  Spicy and sour oyster mushroom soup with lemon grass broth

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  Spicy Budoo

  Nam Budoo Song Kreung

  Traditional southern Thai sauce served with rice and many veggies.

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  Tom Yum Goong

  Shrimp in clear spicy soup made from lemon grass, kaffir lime, hot pepper, lime juice and fish sauce

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  Vegetarian Red Curry Paste

  Prig Gang Mungsavirat

  Vegetarian red curry paste

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  Grilled Chicken with Turmeric

  Gai Yang Kamin

  Turmeric and lemongrass marinated grilled chicken.

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  Green Curry Paste

  Prig Gang Kiew Wan

  Spicy green curry paste made with fresh Thai green chili peppers.

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  Tom Yum Gai

  Hot and sour, lean chicken soup with lemongrass and galangal.

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  Basic Red Curry Paste

  Prig Gang Kua

  Basic Red Curry Paste or Prig Gang Kua is the most basic curry paste.

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  Red Curry Paste

  Prig Gang Ped

  Aromatic curry paste made with Thai fresh and dry spices

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  Massaman Curry Paste

  Prig Gang Mussamun

  Homemade fragrant Massaman Curry Paste filled with roasted spices

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  Southern Red Curry Paste

  Prig Gang KuaTai

  Bright red and very spicy hot curry paste from southern Thailand.

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  Tom Yum Pork Ribs

  Tom Yum Gradoog Moo

  Sour and spicy pork rib soup loaded with lemongrass, galangal, shallots and kaffir lime leaves

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  Grilled Chicken

  Gai Yaang

  Thai grilled chicken, marinated in lemongrass, garlic, salt and pepper.

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  Vegetarian Tom Yum Hed

  Tom Yum Hed

  Spicy and sour vegetarian mushroom soup cooked with Thai herbs

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  Namya Curry Paste

  Prig Gang Namya

  Curry paste for fish curry, made with peppers, lemongrass, garlic, shallots, Chinese keys, salt and pickled fish

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  Tom Sab Leng

  Fallen off the bone pork backbones in super spicy and sour broth

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  Vegetarian Southern Red Curry Paste

  Prig Gang Tai Mung Sawirat

  Southern red curry paste made vegetarian. A base for many other southern dishes.

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