the.com/lemongrass
a grass that out-citruses lemons while quietly repelling mosquitoes and flavoring half of Thailand.
means A tall tropical grass whose stalks carry a bright lemony aroma, used as an herb in Southeast Asian cooking and as a source of citrus-scented essential oil.
from A transparent English compound — "lemon" plus "grass" — naming the plant for exactly what it is: a grass that smells of lemon. The lemon side traces back through Old French and Italian to Arabic "laymūn" and Persian "līmūn," the words that traveled with the citrus fruit itself across the medieval trade routes. The botanical genus name is Cymbopogon, from Greek "kymbe" (boat or cup) and "pogon" (beard), a nod to the boat-shaped, bearded flower spikes — though no cook ever sees those, since the kitchen wants only the fragrant stalk.
- secret weapon
- Citral, the same compound found in lemon zest
- bug repellent
- Source of citronella, the patio-candle defender
- towering grass
- Can grow over six feet tall
- medicine cabinet
- Used for fever and digestion across Asia
- tea form
- Steeped as a caffeine-free citrus brew
thai lemongrass soup — tom yum, southeast asia's most iconic dish featuring lemongrass as a key aromatic ingredient
lemongrass tea — popular in vietnam and thailand, made by steeping dried lemongrass stalks in hot water
lemongrass curry paste — fundamental ingredient in thai green and red curries, used across southeast asian cuisine