Lemongrass

Cymbopogon citratus is an aromatic herb that is widely used in Southeast Asian cooking, from Burma (where it’s called zabalin) to Vietnam. To use it, cut off the tough root end and peel off the outer layer or two of stem. Only the bottom two inches or so of the stem have intense flavor; the rest can be discarded. Lemongrass is used crushed (smashed a little with the flat side of a cleaver) to infuse its flavor into soups, or minced (a cleaver is the easiest tool for slicing it finely crosswise) as part of a flavor paste. It is now widely available in well-stocked supermarkets as well as in Southeast Asian groceries. Look for firm fat stems; if they are very light and dried out they will have less flavor and will be tougher to slice. Store in the refrigerator.