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Lemongrass Powder
Lemongrass is a tropical grass that is also known as Thai Lemongrass, takrai, sera, bai mak nao and citronella grass. It is spelled both as lemon grass and lemongrass. As with most herbs, your first choice should always be using fresh. But if you don’t live in a larger city with Asian markets or ethnic grocery stores, then dried lemongrass is a pretty good alternate option.Lemongrass is commercially grown in Australia, Brazil, Mexico, West Africa and here in the US. Most of the commercial crops grown in this country are found in California and Florida.
Our ground Lemongrass is grown in Thailand.
History and Cultivation
There are approximately 55 species in the genus, most of which are native to South Asia, Southeast Asia and Australia. East-Indian lemon grass, Cymbopogon flexuosus, is native to Burma, India, Sri Lanka and Thailand. The closely related West-Indian lemon grass, Cymbopogon citratus, is indigenous to a Malaysia. Both species are cultivated throughout tropical Asia.Our ground Lemongrass is the West Indian variety.
While both species can be substituted for one another in a pinch, the West Indian species is more frequently used in cooking. In Southeast Asia, it is both a key culinary herb and spice, while in India it is grown more as a medicinal herb and is not used as much as a spice.
A hardy plant, Lemongrass can grow nearly anywhere - provided that the weather is warm and semi-tropical. It thrives in the tropical areas of the Old World (Africa, Asia and Australia) and is recognized by its red stalks and silky coarse, long, slender and typically sharp, pointed leaves. In tropical areas, lemongrass grows year-round and can be harvested by simply cutting off the leaves from the stem near the ground (this is done to encourage re-growth). The entire plant can also be pulled out of the ground as the roots, stems and leaves can all be consumed.
The oldest reference to Lemongrass dates back to the Philippines in 1600s. Lemongrass was introduced to Jamaica in 1799 and to the USA in 1917.
How to Use
Lemongrass is used primarily in Indonesian, Malaysian, Sri Lankan, Thai and Vietnamese cuisine. This aromatic herb is also found in some Caribbean recipes, and its popularity in the US has grown rapidly in the last 10 years. It is commonly used in teas, soups, and curries. It is also suitable for use with poultry, fish, beef, and seafood. As a key ingredient in many Asian dishes, Lemongrass is also used in Thailand in various recipes in the same manner that we use parsley.Some of the most popular recipes using Lemongrass are green prawn curry, nora pad (moo pork with bamboo shoots), pa no (grilled fish) and peanut sauce for satay.
The light lemon flavor of lemongrass works well in combination with basil, chili powder, cilantro, cinnamon, cloves, coconut milk, galangal, garlic, ginger and turmeric.
We especially like to use this dried lemongrass powder in Asian inspired blends.
Flavor Profile
Lemongrass’ flavor is a bit tart and light with lemon and pepper notes along with mint and ginger undertones.Helpful Hints
Dried Lemongrass has a much longer shelf life than fresh, and you’ll only need to use half as much dried for any recipe calling for fresh.If you’re in a pinch, lime or lemon juice can be substituted for lemongrass, but you will not be able to fully replicate its particular qualities. A teaspoon of lemongrass powder is approximately equal to one stalk of fresh lemongrass.
Some of our favorite Asian seasoning blends using Lemongrass are Spicy Thai Seasoning, Satay Seasoning, Vietnamese Pork Rub and Filipino Pork Rub.
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