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Fresh lemongrass is prepped for cooking by removing its hard outer layers to expose its softer pale interior. It is then topped and tailed: about half an inch is cut from the bottom, and three inches taken from the top, where white becomes green.
Once the lemongrass’ bottom is exposed, it is then sliced, chopped finely, grated, pounded, or processed, to ensure that its oils are released and that it can actually be consumed. Like pandan, lemongrass is too tough and fibrous to eat as is. But when sliced into stalks, lemongrass can be used to power up soups or stuffed into roasts; when sliced thin they can be used in salads, and when they are grated, they can be mixed with other herbs and spices to make curry pastes, marinades, as well as sauces.
But the green tops shouldn’t be discarded! They can also be used to flavor soups and curries. Because they cannot be eaten, however, the tough sections of lemongrass need to be removed before the dish is served.
Unlike fresh lemongrass, dried lemongrass can only be used in liquid preparations like soups and sauces, when it has time to simmer and rehydrate so it can flavor whatever dish it has been added to. And like the green tops of fresh lemongrass, dried lemongrass also needs to be removed from a dish before serving. Dried and powdered lemongrass can also be used to make a refreshing herbal tea.
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