I have to admit, I did not come up with the idea for this post, it was my friend Angie. So thank you Angie 🙂 We were having brunch at my house and I mentioned that I used fresh lemongrass in the chicken curry (cà ri gà) dish, but I had to find a way to tenderize it since I didn’t have a meat tenderizer or mortar and pestle handy…so I came up with using the rolling pin to smash it instead. You got to improvise sometimes, right? Angie’s response was “tenderize? Why? What does that mean?” And that’s where the idea for this post came about.
What is lemongrass?
Fresh lemongrass comes as a tall, firm and woody stalk with a white-ish base and green top. It is a tropical island plant that’s part of the grass family, and is a common ingredient in Vietnamese cooking. Lemongrass comes in different forms. The minced lemongrass is used as a marinade for chicken, beef or pork. The minced lemongrass is edible because it has been finely minced making it easier to chew. However, the fresh stalks are used to give stews & broths a fresh, earthy, and a distinct lemon flavor/fragrant. So if you see lemongrass stalks in stews or broths, don’t eat them because they will be too hard and fibrous to chew. They are there to add flavor only.
Where to find different forms of lemongrass?
I’ve seen lemongrass in the powder form and dried forms in some American grocery stores. However, the most commonly used form in Vietnamese cuisine is the fresh lemongrass stalks. There are a few things to ask yourself when choosing fresh lemongrass:
- Are the stalks firm to the touch?
- How much bruising are there? You want minimal bruising on the stalks
- Does it still have that fresh lemony scent?
Fresh lemongrass stalks are found at any Asian grocery stores in the produce section. However, if you don’t have access to an Asian grocery store nearby, you can purchase them here.
The other commonly used form of lemongrass is the minced lemongrass. You will find minced lemongrass in the frozen section of any Asian grocery store.
How use & store fresh lemongrass stalks
Since fresh lemongrass stalks are hard, woody and difficult to cut into, I generally reserve them for making broths, soups and stews. I’m not going to lie…the first time I had to use fresh lemongrass, it was intimidating. So if you’re experiencing the same feelings, don’t worry…I will walk you through how I prepare fresh lemongrass for broths, soups (bún bò Huế-beef noodle soup) and stews (bò kho-Vietnamese beef stew).
When using fresh lemongrass stalks, the two ends needs to be cut off and discarded first.
Then I chop the stalks into smaller, more manageable size pieces…like 3 or 4 inches long.
These smaller pieces are “tenderized” by using either a meat tenderizer, mortar and pestle or a rolling pin to roll over the pieces of lemongrass. I didn’t have a meat tenderizer or mortar/pestle handy so I just used a rolling pin. It works but not as well as using the meat tenderizer or using the mortar/pestle. Tenderizing it will help the lemongrass stalks release their flavor and fragrant while cooking/simmering in the broth or stew.
If you find yourself with leftover fresh lemongrass stalks, you can wrap them in plastic, saran wrap. Make sure the whole stalk is covered. Then place them in the refrigerator. They will remain fresh for a couple of weeks.
How to make & store freshly minced lemongrass?
If a recipe calls for marinating the meat using lemongrass, you can use the pre-made frozen minced lemongrass or you can make minced lemongrass from fresh lemongrass stalks. I always have a tub of either frozen homemade or frozen store bought minced lemongrass in my freezer. Let me show you how I turn fresh lemongrass stalks into minced lemongrass.
- First, cut off the ends of the fresh lemongrass stalks.
- Then wash the lemongrass stalks to remove any dirt.
- Cut the lemongrass stalks into 3-4 inches so it’s easier to place in the food processor.
- Place the pieces in a food processor with the chopping blade attached.
- Pulse it until lemongrass is finely minced, and there you have it….freshly minced lemongrass.
- You can store the freshly minced lemongrass in an air tight Ziploc bag in the freezer.
The next time a recipe calls for minced lemongrass in the marinade, you can pull out your homemade minced lemongrass and use it as needed. The homemade minced lemongrass will definitely provide a stronger lemon flavor to a dish compared to the store bought minced lemongrass. If you like this post, feel free to share it on Facebook by using the button below.
Do you like cooking with lemongrass?
