**LEMON GRASS, CYMBOPOGON CITRATUS, ZABALIN, BAIMAK NAO, HEUNG MAO TSO, SERA, SEREH, SERAI, TAKRAI, XA, CITRONELLA**

Excerpts from Passmore, Jacki. 1991. The Encyclopedia of Asian Food and Cooking. Hearst Books, New York.

A fragrant grass that grows profusely throughout the tropics, which is used medicinally and as a herb. It grows in clumps of long, tapering, pale green, serrated-edged leaves that emanate from tightly packed cream-white marrow bases. It is the base that is used to flavor curries, soups and simmered dishes in most parts of Southeast Asia, while the leaves are used in infusion as a cooling tea. Buddhist monks serve lemon grass tea in their temples, its quality as a relaxant fitting their calm existence. Named for its distinct lemon scent and flavor, lemon grass has been in use for centuries in Europe, where it is known as citronella. It acts as an effective insect repellent. Lemon grass is preferred in fresh form for cooking, and is now readily available in Asian cooking. Lemon grass is a major flavoring ingredient in the curries of Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand and is often used in combination with shrimp paste and turmeric to achieve a distinctive taste style. Also known as zabalin (Burma); bai mak nao (Cambodia); heung mao tso (China); sera (India); sereh (Indonesia); serai (Malaysia); takrai (Thailand); xa (Vietnam); citronella

This resource is much more than a dictionary or encyclopedia. If you wish to know more about cuisines and associated recipes from individual countries, this would be an excellent resource.

Herbs & Spices for Thai Cooking. "Welcome to Chiangmai & chiangrai p. 73. [incomplete reference of Thai spices and herbs]

Excerpts from

LEMON GRASS (TA-KRAI) is a plant that looks like coarse grass. The lower part of the stalk is used for flavoring mainly, but also as an ingredient in certain dishes -- the most famous is Tom Yum.

Lemon grass is not to be eaten. It gives a lemony tartness to foods. Look for tight, firm leaves. Cut off the dried leafy top of the stalk and peel the outer leaves to reach the tender core. Remove before serving.

is a pale green, woody grass stalks with distinctive lemon aroma. Use by removing fibrous outer layers and coarse leaft tops and trim roots to obtain tender inner stalks.

Marks, Copeland. 1989. The Exotic Kitchens of Indonesia. Recipes from the Outer Islands. M. Evans and Company, Inc. New York.

is a popular Indonesian cooked. Is a grass with long green leaves and a firm, thick stem.

Grimes, William. 2004. Eating Your Worlds. Oxford University Press.

is a fragrant tropical grass that yields an oil that smells like lemon, widely used in Asian cooking.

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