LEMONGRASS SYRUP RECIPE

Lemongrass syrup is something I typically use for pancakes, puff puff, drink mixes etc. It is so versatile in its applications that you can even use it for ice cream. There are a lot of ingredients that grow in abundance here in Nigeria but I feel like we do not take advantage of. How many lemongrass products do you see on the shelves in stores despite its usage. Well in all fairness, Nigerians typically don’t commit to an ingredient if the use cases are not a lot or there are no significant health benefits. Understanding this, I have listed a few health benefits of Lemongrass that you may not be aware of.

BENEFITS OF LEMONGRASS

• Lemongrass has a few anti-oxidant properties.
• It has some anti-microbial properties as well which means it fights bacteria especially in the mouth.
• Lemongrass promotes healthy digestion especially when consumed as tea.
• It is also a great diuretic which means you urinate often enough when you drink a lemongrass tea.

I will like to highlight that the way lemongrass is consumed is also important to fulfil these properties. It is not clear to me how much of the above listed properties are effective in a lemongrass syrup. I primarily used it for the fragrant nature of the plant but you can consume it in other ways.

RECIPE FOR LEMONGRASS SYRUP

Ingredients

A handful of Lemongrass

2 Cups of Water

1 Cup of Granulated Sugar

Method

Rinse your lemongrass till all the sand and impurities are completely removed.

In a pot, bring to boil the lemongrass and water for about 5-7 minutes on medium heat.

Turn off the heat and allow to steep for 15 minutes.

You should have approximately one cup of lemongrass liquid left after boiling. So measure equal parts of the lemongrass liquid with equal parts sugar and bring to boil.

Stir and allow to boil till the sugar is completely dissolved and the liquid is thick.

Allow to cool then bottle and place in the fridge. You can use in pancakes, puff puff and ice-cream.

NB: You can leave the lemongrass in the liquid for a whole day and take out the next day to maximise the flavour. But remove it after 24 hours so the syrup doesn’t become bitter.