Once you get your fresh lemongrass home, wash it thoroughly under running tap water to remove all the dirt. Wipe it clean with a soft cotton cloth. Your stalk is now ready for chopping.
•Peel off a few of the outer layers from the bulb. They are usually brown in color and have lost their flavor. It is best to throw them away.
•Take a sharp chef’s knife. A Japanese knife will also do the trick – I personally prefer them over the regular chef’s knife. Make sure you wash it clean too, before use.
•Hold the stalks close to the bulb. Chop off a little bit of the beginning portion of the bulb. Discard it.
•Start chopping the bulb and work your way upward the stalk. The chops should be more-or-less equal in size.
•If you are going to use the chops without grinding or crushing them, make sure the chops are not too thick. The thinner the chops, the better they will cook and taste. (I use the chops without any processing in soups and rice. Taste yum!)
•Another tip would be – if you are going to use the chop without any processing, you could cut the lemongrass by holding the knife at an angle to the bulb – that way you would get oval chops instead of circular. They look a lot prettier in the soups and the rice. They also cook faster, and the recipe develops a better taste and aroma – since oval chops have a greater surface area.
•If you are going to grind the chops and turn them into a powder or paste, you can take the liberty and let the chops be a little coarse. They can also be of uneven size/thickness as you are going to grind them anyway!
•Work your way up the stalk till you have chopped about 3/4th the length of the stalk. Usually the leaves begin to fall apart after that. The stalk also becomes less tender towards the top. However, don’t throw the remainder of the stalk away! I will tell you what to do with it.
•Now collect the chops and grind them in a food-processor. You can even crush them into a coarse powder/paste using a mortar and pestle.
Your lemongrass is ready for use!