Lemongrass has a firm place in Asian cuisine, lending many dishes an exotic flavor with the lemony scent of its leaves and its slightly peppery aroma. The plant thrives in pots or containers, reaching a height of up to 60 centimeters.
East Indian lemongrass (C. flexuosus) grows wild and is cultivated in Sri Lanka, India, Burma, and Thailand.
In the kitchen: The green, reed-like parts of the lemongrass plant, especially the succulent stalks and the thickened leaf bases, can be used fresh from your own plant. Commercially available dried lemongrass has only a faint aroma. Always soften the stalks slightly before adding them to your cooking so that the essential oils are released. The tough, fibrous leaves themselves are not eaten but removed after cooking. Lemongrass is particularly popular in Asian cuisine when combined with coconut milk in chicken and seafood dishes, lending them a well-rounded flavor. It is also excellent for flavoring tea.
