Its herbal tea time with lemon grass

Rainy season is the best time to enjoy hot –piping beverage like tea and hot pakoda with chutney and sauce.

We Indian always prefer hot things over cold things unlike people from other continents. Irrespective of place we stay in one thing which fascinates all of us is herbal, organic and home grown? They are today’s mantra for good health and well being.

So here I share with you something which you can easily grow at home, can be used in everyday home cooking and has huge health benefits. So I start with lemon grass or gauti chai as we call in amchi Mumbai.

What is a lemon grass?

It is a tall, perennial grass which is native to India and tropical regions of Asia. It is a coarse and tufted plant with linear leaves that grows in thick bunches, emerging from a strong base and standing for about 3 meters in height with a meter-wide stretch.

How can I grow it at home?

While you can always buy the bundle of this lemon grass from vegetable vendor if available but why not grow it in your own balcony, garden or indoor which can be easily done. To start with Buy a sapling from any nursery. Plant it in a round, square or rectangular pot with more than 6 inch depth. As it grows It requires good amount of sun, plenty of water and rich soil and that’s the reason you see it grows well in rainy season and is also easily available. After it grows well and spreads wide you can propagate and make sapling by division of rhizome, gift this to you friends and encourage them to grow it too.

How do I use lemon grass and what all I can make.

Chop it, cut it near white base with scissor. Be careful while cutting it, it has sharp razor edges sometime can get minor bruise  on finger which I end up having many times, put in water, bring to boil, the colour changes to mild green when freshly used. Let it seep in. Smell the refreshing lemony flavor. You can also store and use dried leaves later on or add to your tea powder but fresh taste always better. You can put milk if required or else can have as green tea. A refreshing beverage lemon tea is also delightfully healthy. For variations you can also use grated ginger, tea powder of your choice, milk and make a KADAK Indian style chai.

Lemon grass tea is good for digestion. It been used as an ancient remedy for all stomach problem in Chinese medicine like bloating, constipation or indigestion.

To list few of its benefits it regulates high blood pressure, Lowers Cholesterol, boosts metabolism and burns fats, great source of Vitamin A and Vitamin C and anti bacterial and anti fungal properties, so have a hot mix of lemon grass with few leaves of TULSI to treat common cold and for ladies especially it helps in reducing menstrual pain.

Besides used for making tea, lemon grass is also used to flavour fish, soups, curries and sauces. But as Lemon grass will float on top, remove it before serving.

Also Lemongrass oil is extensively used in aromatherapy, due to its therapeutic effects, which help in revitalizing and refreshing the body. Lemon grass also has insecticidal properties and the extracted oil is used in insect repellents and insecticidal sprays.

For all the health conscious ladies and gents this is not an ordinary grass but one can make the best detox drink of it. So it’s time you cheers this herbal tea cup.

But a word of caution as it lowers blood sugar level so diabetic should consult their doctor regarding its consumption and pregnant or breast feeding woman should avoid.

And for the ones who have pets especially cats you may have to take extra care of lemon grass as they are very fond of playing with this grass and chew and nibble the leaves when there stomach is upset.

So it’s time you enjoy the taste of this healthy herbal tea made from lemon grass grown at home and don’t forget to call over your friends too.

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Picture source: www.google.co.in