Directions

1. 1

   Rinse the fresh ginger thoroughly under cold water, rubbing gently to remove any dirt trapped between the nodes. You do not need to peel the ginger. Break off any protruding pieces or rootlets. Roughly chop the ginger into manageable pieces and cut the 3 lemongrass stalks into smaller segments, discarding the dry, woody tips. Place both into a food processor along with 2 cups water and process until the mixture reaches a fine puree consistency. Stop the processor several times to scrape down the sides with a spatula, ensuring even blending.

2. 2

   Line a 2-cup liquid measuring cup with multiple layers of cheesecloth or a single layer of fine-mesh muslin. Pour the ginger-lemongrass puree onto the cloth in batches. Gather the edges of the cloth and twist them tightly toward the center, pressing and wringing firmly to extract all the liquid. Discard the spent pulp. Repeat with remaining batches until all liquid is extracted. Measure the total juice—you should have approximately 4 cups. If the juice falls short, add water to reach 4 cups total.

3. 3

   Transfer the 4 cups of ginger-lemongrass juice into a large pot and stir in the 6 cups of granulated sugar. Set the pot over medium heat and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar. Watch carefully, as the mixture has a tendency to boil over—reduce the heat slightly if needed to maintain a steady simmer without overflow. As the mixture heats, impurities will rise to the surface as foam. Use a fine-mesh skimmer or slotted spoon to skim away the foam and discard. Continue removing foam as it forms until the syrup becomes clear and no more foam rises. Once clear, remove from heat.

4. 4

   You may pour the hot syrup into sterilized glass bottles for immediate storage, or allow it to cool to room temperature first and then transfer to an airtight container. Store the syrup in the refrigerator, where it will keep for up to 6 months.