In our latitudes, lemongrass can be cultivated in a pot on the windowsill. During the growth phase, which extends from April to September, you can continuously harvest fresh lemongrass. If you want to preserve the harvest surplus, freezing is preferable, because the fine spice loses a lot of its delicate aroma when it dries. In this article, we explain how you can preserve lemongrass by freezing it.

Preparation for freezing

Cut off the top third of the stalks, as these are usually tough and are not eaten. You can freeze the lemongrass whole or ready to cook:

  • Only use goods that are in perfect condition.
  • Pick out outer leaves and damaged or brown stalks.
  • Remove root debris.
  • Wash and dry the straws thoroughly.
  • Cut off the dark green part from the stem.
  • Separate the tender bulb from the stalk.

Then cut all white parts of the plant into fine rings. Roughly chop the woody green stalks. These contain a lot of aromatic substances. They are cooked for a long time and, in contrast to the fine white parts of the plant, are sieved out before the dishes are served.

Freeze lemongrass stalks

So that the whole stalks do not freeze together, it is advisable to first spread the washed and well-dried stalks on a baking sheet or kitchen board and pre-freeze them in the quick-freeze compartment. Pack the completely frozen stalks in suitable deep-freeze containers. If you separate the layers with baking paper, the individual straws can be easily removed. Alternatively, you can put the stalks in portions in freezer bags, seal tightly and freeze.

Lemongrass perfectly portioned

Lemongrass that is ready to cook can be easily frozen in the ice cube maker. Both the finely chopped white parts of the stalks and the coarsely chopped, dark green stems are suitable for this:

  • Fill portions into the individual compartments.
  • Fill the container with a little water until the lemongrass is covered.
  • Put the container in the quick freezer and let it freeze.

These herb cubes can then be stored in a freezer to save space.

Use lemongrass cubes

Always give frozen lemongrass to the food. The essential oils would be released by defrosting them beforehand, so that the lemongrass loses much of its fine aroma.

tips and tricks

Ice cubes with lemongrass give exotic drinks a fresh touch. To do this, beat two stalks of lemongrass with the back of a knife and cook an aromatic syrup from 500 milliliters of water, the lemongrass and three tablespoons of sugar. Filter the liquid through a sieve into the ice cube tray and let the stock freeze for at least 24 hours.

SKb

The garden journal freshness ABC

How can fruit and vegetables be stored correctly so that they stay fresh for as long as possible?

The garden journal freshness ABC as a poster:

  • as a free PDF file to print out yourself

Category:

Herbs