Lemon
Grass or lemongrass is a perennial herb used in Asian (particularly
Thai,
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.
Partial
species list
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