When you see lemongrass in the grocery store, you might think someone made a mistake putting it in the produce section since it kinda looks like sometime you should be planting, not eating. But if you give lemongrass a chance, its appealing, warming and lemony scent will have you hooked. Lemongrass is a thin reed-like plant with a pleasant citrus smell and flavour similar to that of lemon zest (but not quite). It is commonly used in Thai and Asian savoury sauces and curry or steeped to make tea. When buying lemongrass, look for long (about 12 to 16 inches), thin, firm stalks that are pale yellow at the bottom and green at the top. To prepare, cut off the root end and discard. Cut off the dry part of the top (this could be as much as 6 inches) and remove any dry outer layers to reveal the light green stalk. From then, you can slice for curry dishes, grate with a rasp for stir-frys, or bruise the fibrous stalks with a meat mallet or the back of a chef's knife and add to your soup. Lemongrass is a wonderful ingredient that will give your dish that hint of authenticity. Try these recipes featuring lemongrass: [caption id="attachment_9847" align="alignnone" width="600"] Lemongrass Chicken Banh Mi | Photography by Ryan Brook/TC Media[/caption] [caption id="attachment_9848" align="alignnone" width="600"]
Lemongrass Chicken Tacos | Photography by Joe Kim/TC Media[/caption] [caption id="attachment_9849" align="alignnone" width="600"] Lemongrass Pork Tenderloin With Stir-Fry Quinoa | Photography by Joe Kim/TC Media[/caption] [caption id="attachment_9850" align="alignnone" width="600"] Roasted Chili Lemongrass Squash | Photography by Jeff Coulson/TC Media[/caption] [caption id="attachment_9851" align="alignnone" width="600"] Red Curry Pork Tenderloin and Squash | Photography by Jeff Coulson[/caption] [caption id="attachment_9852" align="alignnone" width="600"]
Thai Chicken and Coconut Milk Soup | Photography by Ryan Brook/TC Media[/caption]