The Science of Spice

147

LEMONGRASS

Le

Flavour Group | CITRUS TERPENES | Lemongrass

Kitchen

creativity

Delicate lemongrass enlivens curries, stir-fries, pickles, salads, and soups. Use the

tender inner stalk in curry pastes, marinades, and spice rubs, or bruise the whole

fibrous stalk and use in stocks or soups, removing it before serving.

BLENDING SCIENCE

Lemon-scented citral makes up 70 per cent of the spice’s flavour compounds, but the key to spice pairing

is to avoid intensifying this dominant citrus with another lemony spice. Instead, bring out lemongrass’s mild

pepperiness from myrcene, and/or its sweet and floral elements from linalool and geraniol.

Fishcakes Make Thai fishcakes by adding

lemongrass, chilli, ginger, garlic, and lime leaves to

fish and potato before frying.

Pork Marinade pork in a paste of finely chopped

lemongrass, ginger, coconut, and turmeric before

grilling or barbecuing.

Granita Infuse a sugar syrup with lemongrass

and lime zest. Strain to make granitas or ice lollies.

Salad Add finely chopped lemongrass to

a dressing for a Thai noodle salad with slivers

wof carrot, chilli, cucumber, and a handful of

toasted nuts and herbs.

Fruit Instead of adding pared lemon peel to

the poaching liquid for pears, rhubarb, quince, or

peaches, add a bruised stick of lemongrass for

a hint of pepperines.

CITRAL

citrus | herbal |

zesty

team with spices where

citrus is a minor part of

the flavour profile:

coriander contains

similarly lemony limonene

and powerfully magnifies

floral notes

ginger contains citral and

brings in hot pungency

MYRCENE

spicy | peppery |

turpentine

boost the peppery notes

with spicy myrcenes:

black pepper also

brings slow-burning heat,

and harmonizing floral and

citrus notes from flowery

linalool and citrus limonene

allspice is also sweetly

fragrant, making it ideal for

sweeter dishes

LINALOOL,

GERANIOL

floral | woody |

sweet

harmonize penetrating

spices through shared

floral compounds:

cardamom shares

linalool, with complementary

eucalyptus and lemon

Sichuan pepper shares

geraniol, linalool, and myrcene

under its cineole pungency

grains of Selim carries

both compounds, plus

eucalyptus and bitterness

BLEND TO TRY

Try this recipe for a classic

blend featuring lemongrass,

or why not adapt it with

some blending science?

Khao kua p49

Slice, grate, or pound for quicker cooking:

the greater the damage, the faster the oils

will leak out. Add powder late in cooking.

RELEASE THE FLAVOUR

Most of lemongrass’s flavour comes from

oil glands deep inside the grass. The stems

must be crushed to burst open the

glands and release the oils.

Gently bruise or bend leaf blades for

lengthy cooking, to prevent too many of

the flavour compounds evaporating.

Cook with fats, such as coconut milk, to

ensure oil-based citrus and floral flavour

compounds spread throughout the dish.

FOOD PARTNERS

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