Lemon Grass Marinade Recipes

LEMONGRASS MARINADE

Steps:

• Add lemongrass, ginger, garlic, and shallots through feed tube of a food processor with motor running. Process until very finely chopped. Add sugar, mirin, and fish sauce; process until pureed, scraping sides as needed. With motor running, slowly add oil; process until incorporated.

VIETNAMESE GRILLED LEMONGRASS CHICKEN

Steps:

• Mix canola oil, lemongrass, lemon juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, and fish sauce together in a mixing bowl until the sugar is dissolved; add chicken and turn to coat in the marinade.
• Marinate chicken in the refrigerator for 20 minutes to 1 hour.
• Preheat grill for medium heat and lightly oil the grate.
• Remove chicken thighs from the marinade and shake to remove excess marinade. Discard the remaining marinade.
• Grill chicken until no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, 3 to 5 minutes per side. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

GRILLED PORK CHOPS WITH SWEET LEMONGRASS MARINADE

Steps:

• 1. In a bowl, combine the sugar, fish sauce, lemongrass, garlic, shallot, chile, and black pepper and whisk until the sugar dissolves. Arrange the pork chops in a rimmed dish in a single layer. Pour the marinade over, cover with plastic wrap, and let marinate at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours. (The pork can also be refrigerated overnight. Bring meat to room temperature before grilling).
• 2. Prepare a hot fire in a charcoal grill (you should be able to hold your hand 1 to 2 inches above the grate for only 2 to 3 seconds). When the coals are ready, push two-thirds of the coals to one-half of the grill, creating a hot zone; spread the remaining one-third on the opposite side of the grill to create a cooler zone.
• 3. Remove the pork chops from the marinade and discard the marinade. Place the chops on the hottest part of the grill. Let cook for 1 minute, then flip and cook for 1 minute on the second side.
• 4. Move the chops to the cooler side of the grill and cook, turning once, for about 10 minutes total, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chop registers 140°F, raking over coals from the hotter side of the grill if necessary to maintain an even temperature. Spritz any flare-ups with a spray bottle filled with water.
• 5. Transfer the chops to a large plate, tent with aluminum foil, and let stand for 10 minutes. Cut the meat from the bone and slice the meat across the grain on the diagonal. Transfer the slices and bones to a serving platter and serve.

BASIC LEMONGRASS MARINADE

Steps:

• Process lemon grass, garlic and chili sauce until it turns into a fine paste.
• Combine paste and all other ingredients and mix well.
• Marinade is ready to use after sitting for about 1 minutes.
• Recipe yields enough marinade for 1-2 pounds of meat.
• You can save the tops of the lemon grass to season soups and stocks or you can steep it with your tea to make lemon tea.
• Simply put in zip-lock bag and freeze until needed.

LEMONGRASS CHICKEN MARINADE

Steps:

• With a pestle & mortar crush together the lemongrass, garlic, ginger and chili together into a paste, then stir in the other ingredients. A mini-food chopper can be used instead or simply mince all ingredients very well by hand and combine in a small bowl. Pour marinade over the chicken, stirring well to coat the meat. Cover and set in the refrigerator to marinate at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.

LEMONGRASS SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine the vinegar, sugar, water, fish sauce and lime juice in a small, nonreactive saucepan. Bring just to a boil; then, add the lemongrass and the lime leaf and simmer for 30 seconds.
• Remove from heat, and place the saucepan in a bowl of ice and water to chill it until it is room temperature, about 10 minutes.
• Stir in the cilantro, scallions and chilies to taste.

GRILLED SHRIMP WITH LEMONGRASS MARINADE

Steps:

• Use a paring knife to cut along back of each shrimp shell, leaving shell on head intact; remove vein. Transfer shrimp to a shallow nonreactive dish. In a small bowl, stir to combine lemongrass, chiles, coriander, garlic, lime, and oil; pour marinade over shrimp. Cover; refrigerate overnight.
• Heat grill to medium-high. (If using charcoal grill, coals are ready when you can hold your hand 5 inches about grates for just 3 to 4 seconds.) Remove shrimp from marinade, wiping off excess, and season with salt and pepper. Skewer shrimp from head to tail and grill until shell is slightly charred and shrimp are cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Serve hot with a squeeze of fresh lime juice.