When life gives you lemongrass, make ... I have absolutely NO idea.
For the second time in the past few years I planted lemongrass in my front yard because in my imaginary world I cook a LOT with lemongrass. Mainly I do a lot of chicken and dips plus I've learned how to distill the essential oils from it, so the possibilities with THAT are endless.
Unfortunately as I said this is in my imaginary world.
In my real world I grow lemongrass, cut its stalks off, put them in the freezer and then throw them out when I need to make room for ice cream.
And no. Not lemongrass ice cream.
This year I anticipate it will be the same as I'm already conjuring up images of myself pounding out my lemongrass stalks into a concoction of ginger, soy and chile flakes. I'm also conjuring me making dinner in a pair of Artemis shoes that I don't own while holding a glass of wine which I don't drink. Yup. My imaginary world strikes again.
After hacking off some of my lemongrass stalks (just cut them barely above soil level) and bringing it inside I thought I may need to call in help for this one. It's not that I don't know how to cook with lemongrass and I usually have all the ingredients that go well with it, it's just that I haven't got into the habit of cooking with it.
And also, I don't know if you've noticed this but lemongrass recipes, even the simplest ones, tend to part of recipes that require 897 other ingredients. It's never like, "Add the lemongrass to your other 3 ingredients". It's always, "Step 54: Add lemongrass to freshly secured fish eyeballs, making sure not to disturb your homemade fermented tequila tinged miso paste."
So I never (or rarely( cook with lemongrass.
To try to head this off at the pass I'm hoping you're going to be able to help me out and lead me in the right direction.
Do YOU have a recipe that includes lemongrass that you love? Does it have less than 897 ingredients and does it take fewer than 4 days to make it?
I'm hoping you do.
Because if you don't, I might as well forego the whole freezer facade and stock up on ice cream.
Have a good weekend!
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Patti Fasan
Sure you could cook with it & I'll try some of the great recipes posted. But seriously, use it to soothe those aching bones. Take 3-4 stalks chop them up & give em a whirl in the blender to release all the lovely oil & fragrance. Mix with epsom salts for the bath. Bonus idea: use all those old socks that mysteriously no longer have a mate! Or use the foot of old panty hose. Scoop 1/2 cup into the sock, tie it off & let the hot water run over it while filling your tub.
No time for a bath? Soak your feet in the same concoction - lemongrass is also a deordorizer. Want a body scrub, take some of the blenderized stalks & mix with coconut oil. Pour the warmed mixture thru a sieve & add fine sea salt & scrub away (not your face) but all your other bits & bobs. It feels great, increases circulation & leaves you feeling lemony fresh.
When Life gives you Lemongrass, indulge & treat yourself.
Love your site Karen. I am also a first time commentor, but my son ( who uses lemongrass in so many recipes) kept leaving stalks of lemongrass in my fridge when he came over to cook. I never understood why they sell it in a bunch of stalks when every recipe calls for 1 mashed up stalk?? So this girl had to figure out some useful way to use up his leftover bounty. Now I buy it myself but you've inspired me to grow my own next year in the garden. They'll never get me out of the tub NOW!
Karen
That's why I grow my own celery, lol. I've never ONCE used up an entire bunch of it. I use 1 or 2 stalks and that's it. So now I just go pick what I need. Thanks for the ideas. ~ karen!
Angelica
I make asparagus with a shallot lemongrass vinaigrette. I take it as room temp appetizer to parties and it’s always a hit. I’ll share the recipe if you’re interested.
Marie Anne
I would be interested 😊, please do!
Penny
Would love that recipe, pretty please! I adore asparagus, your vinaigrette sounds amazing and my daughter grows lemongrass.
Paul Sikkema
I planted Lemongrass in 6 big pots around the patio this year. I can't say it helped with the mosquitoes but I had to use a demolition saw to cut the root balls out of the pots! Don't EVER plant lemongrass in pots that are globe shaped where the top is smaller than the middle of the pot...
Megan Geiger
Lemongrass pork burgers are the best!
https://www.hellofresh.com/recipes/w13-r4-589cae242310a828344a8733
Jane Odum
The very best thing about lemongrass is insects don't like it, especially mosquitos and spiders!!!
Annabelle Marais
Count yourself lucky to have access to this wonderful ingredient. I know of one intrepid cook who smuggled some into the US in the 1960's only to have her monther-in-law "weed" her garden for her while baby sitting the grandchildren.
Thom Yum Goong or Thom Yum Kai are among the best uses of lemon grass. I have included a link to an excellent Nigella Lawson recipe from the New York Times (https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/5198-tom-yum-soup) but there are many variations online with different levels of difficulty.
Gerald Dlubala
Use the lemongrass stalks as skewers for some tasty chicken breasts.
Sue in Fairfax
Thai Larb salad. Yum! I use ground chicken or turkey. https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/larb-chicken-salad-5680
Mia
I use it to make tea!
Susan
Just wondering if your Lemongrass survives Ontario's winter. I grow mine in a pot and bring into a protected garage. Or do you start a new plant every spring?
Susan
Just wondering if your Lemongrass survives Southern Ontario's winters or do you start new each spring. I grow mine in a pot and bring into my insulated garage in the winter. I am like you though, water the plant all summer and then usually bring it in and never use it once so will definitely try one of the recent posts from your followers.
Karen
I just regrow it every (or every other) year. ~ karen!
Eileen
oooohhhhh...now I remember what those weird straw things are in the back of the freezer!
Time to replace with this year's!
Love all the tips from commenters - thanks everyone! And thanks Karen for instigating this.
Rochelle Greayer
I’ve used it to make lemongrass syrup - which is just stalks boiled in water with sugar (simple syrup, plus lemon grass). Strain and use in cocktails. My favorite is one That combines it with coconut rum.
Susan Claire
Never mind the lemon grass-those Artemis shoes!
Karen
I know. LOVE them. ~ karen!
Heather
Add it to regular black tea.
Cathy
Troll restaurants and sell it. May not be rare like a truffle as it grows like a weed....
Kari in Dallas
Tom Kha Gai
This is my go to winter soup (after Tuscan bean soup) and it is ridiculously easy. I serve it over rice. I could eat it for three meals a day.
https://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/thai-chicken-coconut-soup-tom-kha-gai
I think I’ll make some for lunch today!
Karen
That does seem to be a favourite! I think I'm out of fish sauce but I'll make sure to get some next time I'm at the grocery store so I can see if this recipe should be added to my winter soup rotation. :) ~ karen!
Marna
I use it to flavor teas and chicken dishes. I think it helps deter mosquitoes too (we have a lot including the types that carry diseases).
kole
Try searching for anything by James Wong (ethnobotanist), he does science with plants and his lemongrass stuff includes lip balm, lollies for sore throats, insect repellent, herbal scrub.
And also the lovely Mark Diacono (Otter Farm) does a very quick and easy Limoncello
"Happily, this can be made any time of year and in only a week you have a remarkable drink – it’s not one of those sloe gin sit-on-your-hands-for-months recipes.
Add the zest of 4-5 lemons (depending on their size) to a litre of gin.
Three days later, add a crushed stick of lemongrass.
Four days after that, remove the zest and lemongrass, and add a sugar syrup – 750g each of water and sugar, warmed over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved. As soon as it is cool, it is glorious."
charissa
PPS I lub u. u r awesome. u make me laugh!!! u make me think. u make me think... i can do that too. u make me think... holy crap i am lazy and also... there is no way in hell i could do that😂. i luv coming here. even though i don't comment a lot, please know i think these things all the time xoxo