lemon grass..what r its uses? is it used only for food preparation?
I have a healthy bunch of lemon grass in my garden. (In gujarat it is called ‘lili chai’) . Can i cut ,dry and store it with out losing its fragrance? how to do? its uses if any one can guide..please.
You can cut it and dry it but it is better fresh. Lemon grass is great in teas, drinks, soups, all kinds of dishes as you would use lemon. You cannot eat it because it is very tough but you can score it and put in everything and then pull out the bit when you are done cooking or steeping.
Lemon grass is used in a lot of Thai, and other Asian, recipes. If you want to save it for use in cooking you can put it in the blender with a little water and freeze it in ice cube trays. The only dried use for lemon grass that I am sure of is to use it in homemade soaps after drying by hanging it upside-down from a string in a cool dry place inside your home. I love it chopped-up in soaps. It has both antiseptic and exfoliating properties while leaving a fresh clean feeling.
I have heard its used as a bug repellent ,gathering a bunch and bruising it to get the juices flowing then applying that to skin ,it smells great too