Lemongrass is a tropical variety of grass with a sweet, lemony scent. It is particularly associated with Thai and South East Asian cooking. Most of the flavour is in the thicker bulb end, which can be added whole to dishes, or peeled, then crushed or chopped.
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Lemongrass can be bought fresh, dried or powdered. Most supermarkets stock it now, or look for it at specialist markets. If you can’t buy lemongrass, then substitute lemon zest.
Fresh lemongrass or lemongrass paste will keep in the fridge for about a week.
Lemongrass stalks can be lightly crushed and added to dishes such as curry during cooking; these are always removed before serving. Alternatively, remove the hard outer leaves, then finely chop the soft inner core or pound it to a paste. Lemongrass stalks also make fragrant kebab skewers and basting brushes.
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