Nahm Takrai

　　This lightly sweetened drink, served with both lunch and dinner in Thailand, is very cooling with spicy foods.

　　

Ingredients

Serves 8

　　12 fresh lemongrass stalks, 1 or 2 outer leaves discarded

　　1/2 cup sugar

　　8 cups water

　　

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.