Guest Author - Deborah Adams
Lemon Grass
Other names for Lemongrass include Takrai, barbed wire grass, silky heads, citronella grass, fever grass or Hierba Luisa.
Lemongrass is popular in recipes of several cultures around the world. It’s zesty aroma and lemon flavor add a delightful tang to great recipes such as lemongrass chicken, Thai Tom Yum Soup or lemongrass coconut noodle soup. Generally the yellow/whitish center stalk is used and stalk is processed or pounded to help release the lemon flavor and textures to the recipe. Lemongrass is fibrous and threadlike so should be cooked well in recipes for best results. There have also been reported health benefits with Lemongrass as well as other uses.
You can read more about this delightful herb in the link below.
A widely popular soup recipe is included here for you to try with lemongrass.
Thai Tom Yum Soup
5 cups of chicken broth
2 stalks fresh lemon grass, trim off the very end of the root and smash with the side of a cleaver of chef's knife; cut into 1 inch pieces; or 2 pc dried
3 slices fresh galangal root(smashed) or 2 pc dried
3 fresh kaffir lime leaves or 4 pc dried
1 Tbsp. tamarind paste, with or without seeds
3 Tbsp. fish sauce
1 lb shrimp, medium to large size, shelled and de-veined; butterfly if desired
10 fresh Thai chili peppers, whole or 2 medium sized jalepenos, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch strips.
2 Tbsp. roasted chili paste (nam prik pao)
1 (16 oz.) can straw mushrooms, drained and rinsed
1 small ripe tomato, cut into wedges 1/4 inch thick
2 small limes, squeezed
Bring broth to boil over high heat in a medium-sized saucepan. Add the lemon grass, galangal, kaffir lime leaf, fish sauce and tamarind paste (break apart the tamarind paste with your fingers as you add it). Add the shrimp, bring to a boil and cook 3 minutes. Add the nam prik pao and straw mushrooms. Boil for another 7 minutes until the shrimp is cooked through. Add the chile peppers and tomatoes. Turn off the heat. Add the lime juice. Taste to adjust the seasoning, adding fish sauce to taste. Serve.
Serves 4.
