You can easily find lemon balm in the herb section of any supermarket or local store. Apart from using it as a substitute for lemongrass, lemon balm is known to have great health benefits like getting rid of cramps, digestive problems, and headaches. For one stalk of lemongrass, take four lemon balm leaves to get a subtle citrus flavor. 5. Lemon Verbena

You can easily get it from Asian food stores or any other specialty store that sells Cambodian food supplies. Substitute lemongrass paste by using 2 tsps. of paste for every 2 stalks of lemongrass.It pairs well with other fresh ingredients frequently used in these regions such as ginger, lotus root, Asian greens, bean sprouts, mushrooms, chilies, bok choi, and tropical fruits (like coconut). Adjust the heat in this riff on Thai tom kha gai to your liking—use one chile for mild heat, two for medium, and three if you want sweat beading on your brow. View Recipe A cup of lemongrass tea is a go-to alternative remedy for upset stomach, stomach cramping, and other digestive problems. A 2012 study on rodents published by the National Institutes of Health showed that lemongrass may also be effective against gastric ulcers. The simplest way to use lemongrass is to place the prepared lemongrass stem whole in soups, curries, and when steaming or poaching foods. For a more intense flavor you can cut the lemongrass into shorter sections.

Lemongrass tea can be made on the stovetop by boiling some water in a saucepan until it comes to a rolling boil. Add the dried lemongrass tea leaves, ginger, and some mint leaves to the boiling water and then simmer it for about 5 minutes with the lid covered.

Lemongrass tea is made with only a few ingredients and the main ingredient is of course the lemongrass tea leaves. You might be able to find some fresh leaves in Asian grocery stores but if you can't, then there is always an option to use dried lemongrass tea leaves. The only real downside of Kroeung as a substitution for lemongrass is that it is difficult to find outside of stores that specialize in asian cuisine. Lemongrass is a tropical grass with a lemon-like grassy flavor. It is a popular ingredient used in many South and Southeast Asian cuisines.