How to dry Chinese lemongrass at home: dry the berries and leaves

Chinese lemongrass grows not only in China, but the Chinese told about its healing properties, and it is they who need to be thanked for this wonderful plant against a hundred diseases. In lemongrass, almost all parts of the plant are medicinal and useful, and not only berries, but also leaves and young shoots can be harvested for the winter.

Ingredients: lemongrass leaves, lemongrass berries
Time to bookmark: Summer, Autumn

Content

1 Drying lemongrass berries
2 Drying leaves and shoots of lemongrass

Drying lemongrass berries

Schisandra berries are harvested in late summer - early September. Arm yourself with scissors and cut off the entire bunch without tearing off the berries. Place lemongrass clusters in a wicker basket and try to avoid contact of the berries with metal objects. Oxides of lemongrass juice and metal can cause unpleasant and not at all beneficial compounds.

dried lemongrass

Schisandra berries are very tender and instantly ooze juice if you press them a little, so they are dried that way, along with the stem.

If the harvest is not rich, you can hang the bunches in the kitchen, on wire hooks, until completely dry.

If there are a lot of berries, then they are dried, spread out in one layer on wooden boards or special nets for 5-7 days.

After the berries have withered, they should be dried in the oven or electric dryer. In an electric dryer this will take about 6 hours, at a temperature of +50 degrees.

The finished berries acquire a dark, almost black color and a somewhat wrinkled structure.

dried lemongrass

If the stalks bother you, now you can safely remove them without damaging the berry itself.

dried lemongrass

It is better to store dry lemongrass berries in a wooden or cardboard box to prevent them from becoming moldy.

Drying leaves and shoots of lemongrass

The leaves and young shoots of Chinese lemongrass are also harvested to brew delicious tea with the aroma of lemon in winter. The leaves are collected immediately after picking the berries, and before the leaves begin to fall.

dried lemongrass leaves

The leaves and vines are chopped with scissors and dried, spread in a thin layer on a drying tray in a dry and warm room.

Schisandra leaves and twigs can be brewed as a stand-alone drink, added to store-bought tea, or combined with other herbs. And since lemongrass is a medicinal plant, first consult your doctor about its use.

dried lemongrass leaves