Mixed Vegetables with Lemon Grass Recipe

Lemon grass is used widely in Asian countries as a herb as well as in cooking. It possesses a citrus flavor and is used either fresh or can also be in dried and powdered form. Usually the soft inner part is eaten as the stalk itself is too hard to eat. However, the stalk could be used for cooking after finely sliced or bruised to be added whole to release the aromatic oils from the juice sacs in the stalk. Citral is the main component of lemon grass.

Lemon grass is commonly found in the ingredients of curries and is suitable for poultry, fish, seafood and even mixed vegetables as below.

Recipe: (serves 4)

125 g solid tofu, cut into 1 cm cubes
3 lemon grass stalks, finely chopped
2 large garlic cloves, crushed and finely chopped
1 leek, white part only, thinly sliced
250 g Chinese leaves, thinly sliced
3 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked and sliced
60 g oyster mushrooms, torn
125 g mangetour
1 bunch of watercress
6 fresh baby corn
1 long mild red chili, thinly sliced
100 ml vegetables stock
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 teaspoon golden granulated sugar
1 tablespoon fish sauce
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Heat about 1 cm of oil in a wok and add the tofu cubes. Cook until golden on all sides, then remove and drain on kitchen paper. Drain all but 1 tablespoon of the oil from the wok and reheat it.

Add the lemon grass, garlic and leek and stir-fry for about 1 minute, then add the remaining vegetables, a few at a time, stirring constantly. Add the stock, soy sauce, sugar and fish sauce, stir and cover. Cook over a moderate heat for about 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the fried tofu, season to taste with salt and pepper and serve hot.