Serai/Lemongrass: The Indonesian Aromatic Backbone

One of 20 entries · INDONESIAN CUISINE — DEEP EXTRACTION BATCH 10

I · Origin

Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus — serai in Indonesian) is the single most-used aromatic in Indonesian cooking after shallot and garlic. It appears in virtually every bumbu, every gulai, every soto, every pepes, every sambal goreng. The citral compounds (geranial and neral) provide a clean, citrusy, slightly floral aroma that is the olfactory signature of Southeast Asian cooking.

II · Description

Only the LOWER 12-15cm of the stalk is used (the pale, tender portion below the first green joint). The outer 2-3 layers are removed (tough, fibrous). What remains is bruised (a single firm strike with the flat of a knife) for aromatic release in brothy preparations, or minced extremely fine for bumbu (the mincing must be very fine — lemongrass fibres that survive grinding create an unpleasant stringy texture in the finished paste).

I Preparation II Wet Heat III Heat Application IV Flavour Building V Preparation And Service VI Sauce Making VII Presentation And Philosophy VIII Indonesian Proteins Mains IX Indonesian Soups Stews X Indonesian Rice Grains

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