Luscious Lemongrass

Let me tell you about my new favourite flavour/scent: lemongrass.

This beautiful stuff is actually a kind of perennial grass, native to warmer climates such as India. Here’s some interesting information about lemongrass I got from Wikipedia:

It is widely used as a herb in Asian cuisine. It has a citrus flavor and can be dried and powdered, or used fresh.
Lemon grass is commonly used in teas, soups, and curries. It is also suitable for poultry, fish, and seafood. It is often used as a tea in African and Latin American countries (e.g., Togo, Mexico, DR Congo). When used in dishes, lemongrass is commonly combined with the following ingredients: shrimp, chili pepper, chicken, cilantro, basil, kaffir lime, crab and scallops. Research also shows that lemon grass oil has anti-fungal properties.

I personally love lemongrass in Thai recipes – it has such a fresh, light citrus-y taste, but my absolute favourite application for it is in aromatherapy. As you can see from the Wikipedia article, lemongrass oil has been shown to possess anti-fungal properties, which makes it very useful for natural healing.

But in my opinion, the best property of lemongrass is the beautiful scent. It’s widely available in better-quality spa products, including shampoos and other hair products, and lotions. Like its flavour, the scent is citrus-y but not as powerful and astringent as lemon. It has a lightness to it, and a hint of a green scent pairing perfectly with the lemon. It evokes calm, serenity and relaxation.

Take a moment to relax by rubbing some lemongrass scented lotion into your hands, or put a few drops of lemongrass essential oil into warm bath water for a real escape!