Fresh Lemongrass is a pleasant citrus scented ‘grass’ stalk commonly used in asian cooking. Mincing this grass to freeze will make it an easy and accessible spice you can use throughout the year.
Trim 1/2 inch off the base of lemongrass stalk. Peel and discard dry, hard (sometimes brown) outer grass layers (about 2 - 3 layers). Trim the top by cutting all of the grass blades off (cut about half way where the leafs and stalk meet). Rinse thoroughly with cold water.
With a sharp knife, slice stalks finely into rings. Alternatively, cut lemongrass in half lengthwise first (for better grip), then thinly slice lemongrass into half rings.
Add all of the sliced lemongrass rings into the bowl of a food processor and mince on high for 3 to 5 minutes (or until desired texture is reached). Alternatively, mince lemongrass by hand with a sharp knife until desired consistency.
Scoop finely minced lemongrass into a large freezer friendly zip-top bag. Spread minced lemongrass into an even layer and remove excess air. Close bag and freeze by laying it flat. Frozen, minced lemongrass will last up to 6 months.
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Notes
Freezing Tips:
Freeze whole stalks (un-crushed) for soups, stews. When ready to use, no need to crush stalks as thawing will release a lot of its ‘juice’ already.
Freeze minced (mixed with water) or pureed lemongrass in ice cube trays for easier removal to use directly in your cooking.
Freeze (minced or whole) Lemongrass in food saver bags to extend shelf life (up to 6 months).
To thaw:Break off a chunk of minced lemongrass in the desired amount you need for your recipe. By freezing it flat, it should be easy enough to break off. If not, thaw bag in your microwave a few seconds at a time until you can loosen minced lemongrass in the desired amount.