On Fri, 21 Nov 2003 22:15:35 -0600, "John Doe" >
wrote:

>I don't have anything specific in mind, just wondered what other people did
>when fresh lemon grass wasn't available.

Lemon grass *does* have a distinctly citrus-y/lemony flavor, so either
lemon juice or some grated peel, depending on application, might be
used. In some dishes, relatively large chunks are cooked in a dish for
flavoring, but, like a cinnamon stick, not eaten. Except for the inner
part of the bottom 3-4", lemon grass is tough and fibrous. Even the
bottoms are diced and/or pounded to pulverize if they are meant to be
eaten.
>
>1 tsp fresh must be close to 1 tsp dried.

With most herbs, flavor is concentrated in the dried version and
proportions run approx 1 dried measure to 2-3 fresh.
>
>But some people say that dried isn't the same as fresh. Others will say,
>"Taste it."

Good advice.