How to use lemongrass
While the leaves are the fragrant stars in the garden, in the kitchen it's the bottom 10-12cm of the stem. When you harvest (or buy) lemongrass, the stems should feel firm and heavy, not light
(an indication it's too dry).
Lemongrass foliage makes a refreshing tea:
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cut 4-6 long green leaves, wash, then chop into 3cm lengths.
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bring 2-3 cups of water to the boil, then remove from the heat.
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pour over the leaves and steep for 10-15 minutes.
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sweeten with honey while hot. Can also be served cold.
You can also use the woody part of the stem to make tea or add flavour to soup: cut off the roots and leaves, crush the woody stems, then cut into 3-5cm lengths. Add during cooking, but remove before eating (or avoid eating if not possible to remove).
In stir-fries, use 10cm lengths of the woody end. Peel off dry outer layers. Chop or finely mince the white, tender insides of the stalk.
For a strong flavour, add at the beginning of cooking; for a lighter flavour, add near the end. To guesstimate how much to use in a recipe, it's about the same as if you were adding ginger.
You can also infuse vodka with lemongrass: crush 2-3 cleaned, tender stems, then add to a 750ml bottle of vodka. Leave for 3-4 days, shaking morning and night. Remove the stalks, strain the vodka, then serve.