Lemongrass, native to the Indonesian islands, is a staple ingredient in the cooking of the Malay Archipelago—its luscious flavor is the secret behind countless savory and sweet dishes. It’s used two ways in cooking: finely chopped and ground into flavoring pastes; and as a whole stalk bruised, tied into a knot, and added to a dish as it cooks, infusing it with its essence in the same way that a bouquet garni seasons a French braise. (See below for instructions on how to do this.) The citrusy flavor of lemongrass comes from its high concentration of citral oil, which is also present in lemon rind. Lemongrass stalks are generally a foot-and-a-half to two-feet long, pale-green to ivory colored, and woody, with stiff blade-like leaves (though most of the leaf is usually removed by the time a stalk makes it to the market).

Always lop off the hard bottom inch or so of the stalk with a sharp chef’s knife or cleaver before you use it, and peel away the tough and tasteless two or three outer layers. If you’re cutting lemongrass for a salad or plan to add it to a flavoring paste, use only the bottom three to four inches of the stalk, where most of the flavor is concentrated. In both instances, be sure to slice it as thinly (against the grain) as possible: Lemongrass neither grinds easily in a food processor nor in one’s mouth.

Most Indonesian, Malaysian, and Singaporean cooks don’t buy lemongrass at the market, but pluck it from a constantly replenishing plant somewhere close to their kitchen. For us not so lucky, whole stalks are now widely available in most upscale supermarkets, all Chinese and Southeast Asian supermarkets, and often at farmers’ markets, especially in late summer. Look for firm, thick, greenish-white stalks with no wrinkles—the thicker the stalk, the tastier it will be. The stalks should show no signs of dark-colored mildew or rot. Refrigerate lemongrass wrapped in plastic; it should keep for two to three weeks. If you’re not certain when you’ll be using it, lemongrass can be frozen for up to three months—you may wish to trim the top and bottom of the stalk so it fits more easily into the freezer.

Tying whole stalks into knots and adding them to dishes as they cook is an Indonesian technique that allows dishes to be subtly perfumed without being overwhelmed by the taste of lemongrass. To make a lemongrass knot, cut off the hard, brown bottom end of the stalk and an inch or so of its bristly, greenish top. Next, peel away the tough (and often discolored) outermost two or three layers of the stalk—just as if you were cleaning a leek of its outermost layers. Now, with a heavy, flat-surfaced object, such as the flat side of a cleaver or the bottom of a glass measuring cup, smack the stalk down its entire length until it is pliant and juicy but not pulverized—the goal is to bruise the stalk, not smash it to bits. Finally, tie the stalk into a slip knot as tightly as you can without breaking it (though it’s fine if it does break—you can still use it). Remove the knot before serving a dish, or leave it in for dramatic effect—it’s up to you.