lemongrass

Thân thiện

A chef chops fresh lemongrass for a soup.

Definition

Noun: 1. A tropical grass native to India and Sri Lanka: A tall, perennial grass (Cymbopogon citratus) with long, thin, sharp-edged leaves. 2. An aromatic oil that smells like lemon: An essential oil extracted from the lemongrass plant, widely used for its fragrance and flavor.

Usage

• As a plant/herb: Refers to the grass itself, often used by name.
  • We grow lemongrass in our garden for cooking.
  • The recipe calls for two stalks of fresh lemongrass.
• As a flavor/fragrance source: Refers to the plant or its oil as an ingredient.
  • The soup has a distinct lemongrass flavor.
  • This soap is scented with lemongrass and ginger.

Examples

• Lemongrass oil is a common ingredient in aromatherapy.

Advanced Usage

• Botanical/Latin name: .
  • The species Cymbopogon citratus is the most common type of culinary lemongrass.
• Culinary preparation: Often described as being "bruised," "bashed," or "trimmed" before use to release oils.
  • Bruise the lemongrass stalk with the back of a knife before adding it to the broth.

Variants and Related Words

• Citronella: A closely related species () whose oil is used primarily as an insect repellent, not for cooking.
• Lemon verbena: A different plant () with a similar lemon scent, used in teas and perfumes.

Synonyms

• Citronella grass (for the related repellent species, not the culinary one).
• Fever grass (a common name in some regions/cultures).
• Sereh (its name in Indonesian and Malay).

Related Phrases/Compounds

• Lemongrass stalk: The main cylindrical stem of the plant used in cooking.
• Lemongrass paste: A prepared paste of ground lemongrass and other herbs, used as a cooking base.
• Lemongrass tea: An herbal tea made by infusing lemongrass in hot water.

Học thuật

Noun

1. a tropical grass native to India and Sri Lanka
2. an aromatic oil that smells like lemon and is widely used in Asian cooking and in perfumes and medicines

Từ đồng nghĩa

• lemon grass
• lemongrass oil