Lemongrass

by Anne Sala

Lemongrass
Species	Cymbopogen citratus
Zone	9–10
Needs
Soil pH	5.0–8.0
Size	3–4.5 ft. tall

When I’m grocery shopping with my children, we often linger by the cooler where the “rare to us” fruits and vegetables are stored and imagine their purpose. Lemongrass once was one of those exotic-seeming offerings, but now it has become as much a staple as carrots and potatoes.

During my research process for this almanac, I was surprised by how quickly I started to rely on lemongrass during my meal prep. For months, I had pieces of lemongrass stowed in my crisper and freezer. The longer it stayed there, the more often I used it, oftentimes to simply stand in for lemon in a recipe or just to add an extra, mysterious facet of flavor.

If I was throwing together a vegetable soup, I’d toss in a piece of lemongrass. I sliced it into simple syrups of water and sugar to make flavored soda water. While making iced tea, I’d boil the water with lemongrass before adding the teabags. Just knowing I had some lemongrass in the house made me feel as if I had a load off my shoulders.

Lemongrass’s scientific name is Cymbopogon, which comes from the Greek description of its simple flower: kymbe, “boat, and pogon, “beard.” This genus represents a family of over fifty-five aromatic grasses in the Poaceae family. They grow in tropical areas of the Asian Pacific, India, Africa, and Australia. Usually, Cymbopogen citratus, or West Indian lemongrass, is the one used in the kitchen. Its lemony flavor is strongest when fresh, but it can also be dried and used to make tea or added to soups and curries. It is used heavily in the cuisine from Thailand, but it also finds its way into recipes around the globe.

Its close cousin, C. nardus, is known as citronella grass and is used medicinally and as an essential oil to make insect repellent and perfume. Another relative, C. martini, is also known as palmarosa or Indian geranium, and its leaves smell of roses.

Growing Lemongrass

Growing in a clump, lemongrass is a half-hardy perennial and does not die back in tropical regions. A scallion-shaped bulb sprouts a green stalk, sometimes with a reddish-purple streak. This supports long, grayish-green, strap-like leaves that can stand as tall as four and a half feet. The leaves’ texture is rather rough and the edges are sharp. In temperate climates, the grasses don’t live long enough to blossom. Instead, their leaves turn rust-colored when touched by frost.

Lemongrass is a fairly easy-going plant to have in the garden, no matter the climate. It can also flourish in a pot. All it needs, in either location, is lots of sun, nutrient-rich soil, frequent waterings, and good drainage. It doesn’t like to dry out, so it may need to be watered daily.

In Jerry Traunfeld’s cookbook The Herbal Kitchen, he writes he has had “no luck growing lemongrass in the Pacific Northwest.” So please keep that in mind if you live near Traunfeld.

When nighttime temperatures start to drop to about 40 degrees Fahrenheit, it is time to take the plant inside. If the lemongrass is planted in the ground, dig out a handful of the bulbs, trim the leaves and upper stem, and put them in your freezer to cook with over the winter—freezing doesn’t affect the herb’s flavor very much—then transplant some other bulbs to a pot and bring indoors.

Keep the pot in a sunny window and allow the plant to go dormant: reduce the amount of water it receives and cut back the grass to about four inches above the stem. In the spring, as the days get longer, new leaves will appear, and the lemongrass can be replanted outside when the threat of frost is gone.

Herbal Remedies

In Eastern cultures, this herb is well known for its culinary benefits and also for its medicinal properties. According to herbalist Jekka McVickar, evidence shows the Persians were using lemongrass medicinally since at least 1 BCE. In many areas of the world, this herb is called “fever grass” because a tea made from it will cool a fever.

Ayurvedic and Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners also recognize lemongrass tea for its ability to relieve indigestion and menstrual cramps, lower blood pressure, treat respiratory ailments, and clear up skin infections like ringworm and scabies.

Scientific studies have proven the herb to be antimicrobial and antifungal, as well as an insect repellent. Some studies also suggest the essential oil contains an insulin-like compound that may be helpful in treating diabetes.

Despite having such a fresh scent, the aroma of lemongrass is thought to be calming and sleep inducing. Dried lemongrass leaves are often used in sleep pillows along with mugwort and lavender.

From a nutritional standpoint, lemongrass is quite beneficial. It contains vitamin A, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B3, vitamin B6, and folate. It is also a rich in minerals such as zinc, iron, copper, potassium, and calcium.

Lemongrass Essential Oil

If your lemongrass plant grows like gangbusters over the summer, it might be fun to make an essential oil. Since there is a whole industry surrounding the extraction and use of lemongrass or citronella oil, it may seem unnecessary to learn how to make your own. However, if you’re like me, when I look at a happy, healthy herb growing in my garden—and autumn is fast approaching—I want to use every last bit of it. With this method, all you really need is a crockpot and space in the refrigerator.

4–6 cups fresh lemongrass stalks (or as much as your plant produced) roughly chopped

1–3 gallons distilled water, depending on the size of the crockpot

Clean cheesecloth or hand towel

1 small blue- or amber-colored bottle with dropper cap

Ensure that the crockpot is in a stable spot where it can remain running undisturbed for 24–30 hours.

Place all the lemongrass into the crockpot. Pour enough distilled water into the crockpot to bring the level to about an inch below the top of the earthenware insert.

Place the lid on the crockpot. Some recipes suggest inverting the lid to help the steam condensation return to the pot, but I found that trick did not work well with my style of crockpot. It may work with yours, though.

Turn on the crockpot to the high setting and monitor the heating process. Once bubbles begin to form but the mixture isn’t boiling yet, turn down the heat to the low setting.

Allow the lemongrass and water to simmer for about 24 hours. After that, unplug the crockpot, take off the lid, cover the crockpot with the cheesecloth or hand towel, and allow everything to cool for a few hours before placing the insert into the refrigerator overnight.

The next day, remove the crockpot from the fridge and examine its contents. You should see bits of congealed oil floating on top of what’s left of the water. Scoop this oil out and place it in the small bottle, then discard the contents of the crockpot. Leave the bottle uncapped and covered with cheesecloth for about three days or more, to ensure any remaining water has a chance to evaporate. Afterward, cap the oil tightly and store in a cool, dark place.

Lemongrass Bug Repellent

After all that hard work, you might feel like hoarding the precious drops of oil you extracted, but if you are eager to put your fresh lemongrass oil to use, you can make homemade bug repellent. If you did not produce enough lemongrass oil to make the 20 drops needed in the recipe, use more drops of citronella oil to make up the difference. The vodka is optional, but it helps prolong the spray’s shelf life.

Always spot test your skin’s reaction to the spray before applying a large amount. Do not spray on your face, and avoid contact with eyes and mouth.

1 tablespoon witch hazel

½ tablespoon organic apple cider vinegar

½ teaspoon vodka

20 drops lemongrass essential oil

15 drops citronella essential oil

10 drops rosemary essential oil

5 drops lavender essential oil

8–12-ounce spray bottle

Distilled water

Place all ingredients in the spray bottle. Fill with distilled water. Shake vigorously before each use. Makes 1 spray bottle.

Cooking with Lemongrass

Just as lemongrass essential oil performs a distinctive role in the effectiveness of the above bug repellent, fresh lemongrass’s role in the kitchen is just as remarkable.

Most cuisines have a certain ingredient combination that imparts a flavor profile, thus ensuring a dish “tastes” right—like France’s mirepoix of onion, carrot, and celery. According to cookbook writer Kasma Loha-Unchit, lemongrass is paired with galangal and lime leaves to create the bedrock flavor of Thai cuisine, the “Magical Three.”

Loha-Unchit explains in It Rains Fishes: Legends, Traditions and the Joys of Thai Cooking, “Like the social Thai people, herbs like the company of other herbs, to create together wholesome harmonies in which the individual parts become almost inseparable.” She goes on to explain how this “Magical Three” are the base flavors of thom yum soup, which is the first dish I ever had with lemongrass in it.

Another interesting tip I learned from Loha-Unchit’s book is that cooks can be picky about what part of the lemongrass they use in a recipe. Even though the plant can grow over four feet tall, usually the only the bottom twelve or fifteen inches of the stalk are used in the kitchen and none of the grass “leaves.” If you are making something that is going to simmer for a long time and the lemongrass piece will remain whole, use the woody, robustly flavored bottom section. If you need to mix the herb into the food and your guests will eat it, use the softer upper section of the stalk. The flavor of this part is milder, but it is easier to chop up.

Pearl Balls

This recipe is an example of when it is necessary to use the upper part of the lemongrass stalk because it will be chopped fine and eaten. If you are buying the lemongrass from a store and don’t have a choice about what is on offer, just be mindful of how tough the outer layers of the lemongrass stalk can be and remove them before chopping.

1 pound ground pork

2 tablespoons garlic, minced (about 3 cloves)

¼ cup thinly sliced green onions, both the white and green parts

6 inches of lemongrass stalk, chopped fine

1 tablespoon ginger, peeled and chopped fine

1½ teaspoon fish sauce

1½ teaspoon light brown sugar

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

¾ teaspoon salt

1 egg, beaten

1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro leaves

1 cup short grain white or brown rice

Place all the ingredients except the rice into a large bowl. Use your hands or a large spoon to mix all the ingredients together. Chill in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes.

Place the rice into a small bowl.

Wet your hands, scoop out about 1½ tablespoons of pork mixture, and carefully roll it into a ball. Then gently roll the ball in the rice until it is completely covered.

After rolling, set each rice ball on a lightly oiled metal steamer or in a double bamboo steamer lined with baking paper. Leave plenty of space between the balls because the rice will expand.

Pour water into a wok large enough to hold the steamer. Turn the heat to high until the water begins to boil. Place the steamer basket in the wok and cover with the steamer’s lid or with the lid of the wok. Once that is done, turn down the heat until the water is at a low, steady simmer. Steam for about an hour. Add more hot water to the wok if the level gets low.

Serve with a sweet chili dipping sauce. A simple recipe for this is to combine ½ cup Thai sweet chili sauce, ½ cup soy sauce or tamari, and a splash of rice wine—or more—to taste. Makes about 20 balls

Lemongrass and Ginger Panna Cotta

While looking through one of the cookbooks I’ve owned the longest, I came across a recipe for lemongrass and ginger cheesecake. Due to my son’s egg allergy, I usually steer clear of this dessert; however, this recipe made me think of the “quick” cheesecakes my mother used to make with gelatin—and that made me think of panna cotta!

Below is a recipe I adapted from an exhaustive article on the chemistry behind a delicious panna cotta. I think this recipe hits the mark.

1 can (14 ounces) unsweetened coconut milk

2 cups heavy cream

5 tablespoons sugar

4 pieces lemongrass, 2–3 inches long and slightly crushed

4–5 slices of fresh ginger, 1/8-inch thick

Pinch of salt

1 teaspoon or more neutral-tasting oil, like grapeseed, for greasing

2 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon powdered gelatin

8–16 tiny Thai basil leaves for garnish

Zest from 1 lime for garnish

Place the coconut milk, cream, sugar, lemongrass, ginger, and pinch of salt in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Once the mixture begins to simmer but isn’t boiling, turn off the heat and steep for 20 minutes.

While the cream mixture is steeping, use a paper towel dipped in the oil to lightly coat the inside of eight ramekins, bowls, or wine glasses that are able to hold at least ½ cup liquid.

At about the 15-minute mark, pour the water into a large bowl and mix in the gelatin. Gently stir until gelatin softens.

After the 20 minutes are up, pour the cream mixture through a strainer into the bowl containing the softened gelatin. Stir to completely dissolve the gelatin. Discard the contents of the strainer.

Ladle the gelatin and cream mixture into the prepared bowls. Place a piece of cling film over the top of each of them, allowing the plastic to touch the mixture. This will prevent a skin from forming on the panna cotta while it cools. Place the bowls in the refrigerator overnight or for at least 4 hours.

To serve the panna cotta, you may eat it straight out of the ramekin, like my family does, or if you want to be fancy, set each ramekin in a shallow bowl of hot water for 30 seconds or so to loosen it. Then slide a butter knife around the inside edge of the container to further loosen it. With a quick motion, flip the ramekin upside down onto a serving dish to unmold it. Garnish with Thai basil leaves and grated lime zest. Serves 8.

In Africa, lemongrass is woven into the lower
sections of a home’s walls to repel snakes.

Lemongrass is a beautiful, useful, and pleasant herb to have in your garden. Even if you only grow it as a landscape feature, the lemon scent released when the wind rustles its leaves is reason enough to grow it.

Resources

Bown, Deni. The Herb Society of America Encyclopedia of Herbs & Their Uses. New York: Dorling Kindersley Publishing, 1995.

Browning, Katie Rose. “Lemon Grass.” Rebecca’s Herbal Apothecary & Supply. Accessed September 10, 2018. https://www.rebeccasherbs.com/pages/herb-article-br-lemon-grass.html.

Emmons, Didi. Vegetarian Planet. Boston: The Harvard Common Press, 1997.

Harpham, Zoë, ed. The Essential Wok Cookbook. San Diego, CA: Thunder Bay Press, 2002.

“How to Grow Lemongrass.” Grow This. June 4, 2013. https://www.growthis.com/how-to-grow-lemongrass/.

Loha-Unchit, Kasma. It Rains Fishes: Legends, Traditions and the Joys of Thai Cooking. Rohnert Park, CA: Pomegranate Artbooks, 1995.

Parsons, Russ. “3 Keys to Perfect Panna Cotta.” Seattle Times, June 12, 2012. https://www.seattletimes.com/life/food-drink/3-keys-to-perfect-panna-cotta/.

McVicar, Jekka. The Complete Herb Book. Buffalo, NY: Firefly Books, 2008.

Traunfeld, Jerry. The Herbal Kitchen: Cooking with Fragrance and Flavor. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2005.

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