How to Use Lemongrass
Lemongrass is a confusing ingredient to work with. If you use it wrong, you could end up with stringy bits in your meal. Here is how I use it to extract maximum flavor while keeping a texture I enjoy in the final dish.
Looks like drumsticks. These things are pretty firm.
Hold tight, and give a nice smooth slice down the center the long way.
If you break apart the layers, you will notice that the very center layers are tender and bend easily. Get these center layers out and dice them up.
Make sure to dice well because even these parts can be stringy.
To get even more flavor from these guys, put the tougher outsides into whatever you are cooking and take them out later like a bay leaf!
Regarding your bay leaf method, it's generally way easier (particulary if youre doing a curry or anything stewed or brothy) to simply smash the thing with the side of your knife as you would peeling garlic cloves and use that all and remove as you would bay. Though your method is what I was taught in culinary school, crunching into little bits of lemongrass can totally kill a dish for me.
Thanks for the insight! I didn't know that the inside was so tender...I actually ate some raw, shaved in a cucumber salad! I'm going to grow some so I'll always have it on hand! Thanks again! -Marlo
It can also be used to make tea(iced or regular). I'm not sure if you already knew about it, but we use it pretty regular here in Barbados. :)