The Nonya Cooking Ingredient - Serai or Lemon grass possesses a very strong pungent flavour, and is used liberally in
most curry dishes.
The end of the stalk (about seven cm from the root end) is usually cut off and
discarded.
Serai or Lemon grass is used either sliced, pounded or bruised. Yellow green in
color and resembling large scallions Serai or Lemon grass is native to Malaysia
and grown throughout Southeast Asia.
Serai or Lemon grass is an important and a pre-eminent flavoring ingredient in
Thai cuisine and in Southeast Asian cooking. With the great popularity of the
food of that region, Serai or Lemon grass has made its way onto countless
ingredients lists for all sorts of dishes.
In cooking, only the portion of the stalk from the base to the point at which
the leaves branch is used. Serai or Lemon grass balances hot chilies, gives depth
to cool mint, and creates a zing in coconut milk soup. Citral, an essential oil
also found in lemon peel, gives Serai or Lemon grass its distinctive lemony
taste and scent.