Herb
West Indian Lemongrass
A tier
West Indian lemongrass is the market name for C. citratus—plump culinary stalks with soft lemon perfume, less fibrous oil-grass than some East Indian flexuosus types grown for citral oil. Use as standard kitchen lemongrass. Best fresh; dried leaf is a pale substitute.
Track this ingredient
Unit
Characteristics
Preparations
Fresh StalkGrillSoupTea
Traits
CulinaryCulinary Market NameKitchen DefaultLemonSoftSoft LemonThick Stalk
History
JM
Caribbean cultivation popularised West Indian lemongrass as a kitchen grass.
Trade distinguished West Indian culinary from East Indian oil grasses.
Asian-Caribbean fusion kept West Indian lemongrass in global cities.
Fresh West Indian-type stalks dominated retail lemongrass.