Nahm Takrai
This lightly sweetened drink, served with both lunch and dinner in Thailand, is very cooling with spicy foods.
Recipe information
Yield
Serves 8
Ingredients
12 fresh lemongrass stalks, 1 or 2 outer leaves discarded
1/2 cup sugar
8 cups water
Preparation
Step 1
Trim off bottom 6 inches of lemongrass stalks. Cut enough lemongrass tops crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces (discard any discolored parts) to measure 1 cup. Bring lemongrass pieces, sugar, and 2 cups water to a boil in a 2-quart heavy saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved, then remove from heat and let steep, partially covered, 20 minutes.
Step 2
Put remaining 6 cups water in a pitcher. Blend lemongrass mixture in a blender until lemongrass is finely chopped (use caution when blending hot liquids), then pour through a fine-mesh sieve into water in pitcher, discarding solids. Serve over ice.
