This herb is close to being the ‘signature’ ingredient of Thai cookery. Lemongrass is available in fresh as well as dried form. Dried Lemongrass is used for herbal teas, and only the fresh for cooking. Fresh lemongrass is sold in stalks that can be 60cm (2 ft) long – it looks like a very long, thin spring onion. Most recipes use only the bottom few inches of the stem. Lemongrass pieces are removed after the dish is cooked. In recipes that call for lemongrass to be finely chopped or pounded into a paste, it becomes an integral aspect of the dish, and isn’t removed.