Lemongrass

Citronnelle

What it is

A grass that decided to be a citrus: its stalks carry citral, the same aromatic soul as lemon zest, without any of the acid. It is the upright backbone of Thai tom yum and Vietnamese broths — always present, always fished out, never chewed.

In the kitchen

Use only the pale lower third; bruise it flat with the knife’s spine to crack the perfume open before it goes in the pot.

Goes with

Coconut milk Ginger Chili pepper Shrimp Chicken Cilantro / Coriander

Also used with

Andaliman Banana leaf Butterfly pea flower Makrut lime Indonesian bay leaf (daun salam) Fingerroot

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