Cymbopogon
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| Lemon Grasses | ||||||||||||
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 Lemon Grass | ||||||||||||
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More than 50, see text |
Lemon Grass or lemongrass is a perennial herb used in Asian (particularly Thai, Lao, Khmer and Vietnamese) and Caribbean cooking. It has a lemony flavor and can be dried and powdered, or used fresh. Commonly used in teas, soups, and curries it is also suitable for poultry, fish, and seafood.
There are more than 50 species of Cymbopogon. The East-Indian Lemon Grass (Cymbopogon flexuosus) is native to India, Sri Lanka, Burma, and Thailand while the West-Indian Lemon Grass (Cymbopogon citratus) is assumed to have its origins in Malaysia. While both can be used interchangeably, C. citratus is more suited for cooking. In India C. citratus is used both as a medical herb and in perfumes.
Other species used in the perfume industry are Cymbopogon martini (distilled into palmarosa oil) and Citronella Grass (Cymbopogon winterianus Jowitt) from which citronella oil is obtained. Candles or incense made with high concentrations of citronella oil can be used as mosquito repellents.