Do i cut it finely or just put it directly into a Red Thai Curry sauce?

Finely. Did you buy the curry paste or make it?

It's normally already in the paste if you got it at the market.

What are you doing?

Edited November 19, 201411 yr by neverdie

I cut the stalks in about 3 inch lengths and mash them to release the flavor. I remove them before it is served

I assume he's making his own curry paste. Nice.

My wife does stuff like that. I just buy it.

Chop off the roots. Chop off the top two thirds. Discard.

Peel off the dry, outer layers. Stop when you get to a purple-ish layer.

If you're going to make a curry paste, cut into short lengths before pounding.

If you're just using it for added flavour in a sauce or soup, bash it a few times with the back of a heavy knife to crush it. (Not chopping it makes it easier to remove before serving.)

In a few dishes such as yam takrai you eat it raw, in which cut it into very short lengths.

If you're using it as skewers, no need to peel.

cool making your own "Kreung Kaeng" always wanted to try that. I would suggest food processor?/

Edited November 20, 201411 yr by Smurkster

cool making your own "Kreung Kaeng" always wanted to try that. I would suggest food processor?/

But only if you don't care that your food processor will burn out very quickly. (You also need to add extra liquid to make the food processor work in making the paste. Coconut milk for coconut milk based curries is good. Otherwise water or vegetable oil.)

If you don't want to go to all the effort of pounding the paste in a mortar, then mincer is a good way to go. You'll need to pass the past mixture through 3-4 times on the finest setting.

remove the outside layer

be sure to give a good pounding so it's soft

cut fine

Depending upon it's age at harvest and how well it's trimmed, Lemon Grass can be medium to very woody. Therefore I would not cut it up small. I like to keep it rather chunky so I can take it out of my mouth ... after chewing well and sucking up the tasty juice. However the more succulent pieces can we well chewed and swallowed.

It always seems like the consistency of lemongrass in curry paste is stringy, very fine. I would not cut it up in large chunks

Throw in a couple of stalks when cooking rice (after the usual cut and bash). Do you grow your own?

lemon grass is usually added for flavoring and the stalks are not intended to be consumed...simply discard after cooking or serve with stalks in for an 'authentic' touch...

the first time I ate tom yung goong I ate the whole thing...ouch...didn't have anyone with me to advise otherwise...maybe that's what put me offa thai food; sorta like sex; if the first time is no good...