Lemon Grass

This is one of the most essential ingredients in the Nonya repertoire. It lends a sharp, lemony tang when used in dishes. It also happens to be more easily found in Western supermarkets, given the spread of the South East Asian immigrant community and the popularity of lemon grass for aroma- and homoeopathy.

The thick and tough outer layer and top third of each stalk are discarded. If the lemon grass is reserved for pounding, it should be chopped into very fine slices, about 0.25 cm or 1/8 inch thick. Lemon grass is so fibrous that you must try to grind them as fine as possible, otherwise the fibres in the gravy may choke you. Sometimes, the whole lemon grass stalk is left in the gravy when simmering. In this case, the lemon grass stalk can be bruised with a pestle or a cleaver to release the flavour.