A to Z of French Herbs - Lemongrass - Citronnelle

Lemongrass

In French cuisine, lemongrass can add an exotic and fragrant touch to many dishes. This aromatic herb, originating from Southeast Asia, is used sparingly to impart a subtle yet distinctive flavor creating a delightful fusion of French and Asian flavors.

Lemongrass is known botanically as Cymbopogon. Other names for lemongrass include barbed wire grass, silky heads, cochin grass, Malabar grass, oily heads, citronella grass, sera, and fever grass.

Its botanical name Cymbopogon comes from the Greek words Kymbe meaning boat and pogon meaning beard. Lemongrass is part of the Poaceae or grass family.

In French Lemongrass is pronounced Citronnelle and should not be confused with Citronella which is a similar but not the same plant. In some places in France, you will even see lemongrass called Vervain des Indes.

Grown mostly in tropical environments there are Asian, Australian, and African varieties there’s even a Nepalese version. They are all mainly cultivated as culinary and medicinal herbs. The origins of lemongrass are unknown but is thought to have come from the area of Asia taking in Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam.

Lemongrass plant

Lemongrass made its way to Europe in the 17th century. Its ability to scent and repel insects made it popular in Europe, and it was then used in the manufacture of perfumes, soaps, and lotions and remains an essential scent in the perfume industry in France. Pour Monsieur by Chanel which was launched in 1955 and was Chanel’s first mens fragrance and it included lemongrass oil as one of its ingredients.

It can be grown at home in a pot and will grow up to around 2 meters tall and in France, it’s often kept in greenhouses and orangeries during winter and colder months then bought out for summer.

Lemongrass as the name suggests has a scent that is similar to the scent of a lemon. One of the main uses of Lemongrass in cuisine that many people would know is in Thai and other Asian cuisines.

In French cuisine, it was never widely used but now many modern French chefs are including it in dishes, especially deserts and you can often see lemongrass used to flavor everything from Pot au Feu to Tatre Tatins.

Lemongrass Tea

Another way it is used in cuisine in France is in the French’s love affair with teas, especially infusion teas. So next time you’re going to buy some tea in France why not try a lemongrass one. This can also possibly have come, from the use of lemongrass in teas, from the influence of Morocco in French culture. The Moroccans use Lemongrass to flavor green and mint teas.

Even though it is not the same as Citronella, Lemongrass and specifically Lemongrass essential oil has properties used to repel insects, especially flies so you will often see Lemongrass repellents for sale in many forms.

Lemongrass is an excellent antioxidant. It has anti-inflammatory properties and is thought to relieve joint and muscle pain. It can also be used to relieve stomach aches and nausea.