Fresh lemongrass is available at most large supermarkets now; otherwise, try your local Asian market to get your hands on the herb. Dried lemongrass is common, although it isn't as flavorful. Lemongrass tea is also readily available.

Look for lemongrass that is firm and pale yellow-green with a bit of a bulb at the end. The top of the stalk should look relatively fresh; they tend to dry out quickly so they may not look like they were just harvested but they shouldn't be browned or sad looking.

Whenever possible, try to get fresh lemongrass for recipes. You can get by with lemongrass paste in a tube (it comes from Gourmet Garden in Australia and is usually hanging on display with ginger and garlic pastes), though dried lemongrass is not recommended.