Food Wiki – Lemongrass, Nutritional Value & Best Recipes
Lemongrass, also called citronella, is a grass-like herb that is a common ingredient used in many Southeast Asian dishes. The lower stalks and the bulbs are the specific parts of the plant used for cooking and making teas and broths. Aside from using this spice as a flavoring agent, many people also use lemongrass in traditional medicine, and scientific research backs it up.
Nutritional Facts
Lemongrass contains quite a lot of minerals, namely calcium, potassium, magnesium, iron, and manganese. All these minerals are essential to the body’s normal healthy functions. Magnesium is important for its antioxidant properties and anti-aging functions.
Aside from minerals, lemongrass also contains a lot of different vitamins, although not in abundant amounts. It has vitamins A, C, folate, and niacin. However, the daily consumption of lemongrass will not have enough quantities of vitamins to have an impact on your recommended daily allowance.
Recipes
Vietnamese Grilled Lemongrass Chicken
In a mixing bowl, combine two tablespoons each of canola oil and finely chopped lemongrass, a tablespoon of lemon juice, two tablespoons of dark soy sauce, two teaspoons each of brown sugar and minced garlic, and a teaspoon of fish sauce. Whisk all the ingredients thoroughly until all the sugar is dissolved.
Toss in a pound and a half of chicken thigh fillets (pounded to an even thickness each) and mix until the marinade evenly coats each piece of chicken. Let the chicken marinade in the fridge for at least an hour, but overnight is best.
Preheat your grill to medium heat and brush a bit of cooking oil on the grate to prevent the chicken from sticking. Remove the thigh fillets from the marinade and let them drain a bit. Place the meat on the grill. Cook the chicken fillets between three to five minutes per side, or until an instant-read thermometer shows an internal temperature of 165F. Serve on a bowl of steamed rice.
Lemongrass and Citrus Poached Salmon
Remove the skin from a two and a half pound of salmon and cut into serving sizes. In a large cooking pot, mix a quart of chicken stock, a quart of orange juice, two cups of white wine, a small yellow onion (finely chopped), two tablespoons of minced garlic, two cups of lemongrass stalks (chopped), and salt and pepper to taste.
Bring the poaching liquid to a boil for around five minutes, and then reduce the heat to a slow simmer. Carefully place the salmon into the pot and cook until the fish gets flaky, which usually just takes five minutes or so.