Nam takrai (น้ำตะไคร้) is Thailand’s lemongrass drink: lemongrass steeped or simmered in water, lightly sweetened and poured over ice. The name is literal — nam means water or drink, takrai means lemongrass. It tastes clean and citrusy, like lemon peel without any of the sourness, and it is one of the easiest Thai drinks to make at home, including from dried lemongrass.
What is nam takrai?
It is one of the herbal drinks you find at Thai markets and street stalls, poured from a big jug over ice, and it is just as often made at home. The street version starts with fresh stalks: bruised or sliced, simmered for a few minutes until the water turns a pale green-gold, strained, then sweetened with sugar syrup or honey.
Pandan leaves often go into the pot with the lemongrass. That version has its own name, nam takrai bai toey, and it is one of the most common ways to make the drink.
What does nam takrai taste like?
Bright, lemony and a little grassy, with a clean finish. Lemongrass carries the aroma of lemon without its acidity, so the drink reads as citrusy but never sour. A little sugar rounds it out rather than making it taste like a soft drink, and pandan adds a soft, vanilla-like note underneath.
Dried lemongrass makes a milder, slightly more hay-like drink than fresh. It is still very good, but it is worth adding pandan, or a squeeze of lime at serving, to bring the brightness back up.
How do you make nam takrai with dried lemongrass?
Dried lemongrass does not need the long simmer that fresh stalks get. It has already been cut and dried, so gentle heat is enough, and hard boiling only makes it bitter.
- Bring 1.5 litres of water to the boil, then take it off the heat.
- Add 15g of dried lemongrass, or of a lemongrass and pandan blend, and cover the pan.
- Steep for 8 minutes, then strain. For a stronger drink, use more lemongrass next time rather than steeping longer.
- Sweeten while it is still warm, so the sugar dissolves. Start with 2 tablespoons of sugar per litre and add more to taste; Thai street versions are sweet.
- Cool, then refrigerate. Serve over plenty of crushed ice.
| Batch | Dried lemongrass | Water | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| One glass | 2–3g | 250ml, just off the boil | 5–8 minutes, covered |
| A jug (about 6 glasses) | 15g | 1.5 litres, just off the boil | 8 minutes, covered |
| Cold-brewed jug | 15g | 1.5 litres, cold | 8–12 hours in the fridge |
If your drink comes out harsh, the cause is almost always too much heat or too long in the pot; here is why lemongrass tea turns bitter.
What can you add to nam takrai?
- Pandan. The classic partner. It fills in underneath the citrus and makes the drink taste rounder and sweeter.
- Lime. A squeeze in the glass at serving sharpens it. Add it to the glass rather than the jug, where it dulls within a day.
- Ginger. A few slices in the pot add warmth, which is especially good if you drink it hot.
- Honey instead of sugar. Softer and more floral. Stir it in once the drink has cooled a little.
Is nam takrai the same as lemongrass tea?
Same plant, different drink. Lemongrass tea usually means a hot, unsweetened cup, brewed one serving at a time. Nam takrai is sweetened, made by the jug and served cold. Neither contains caffeine: lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) is a grass, not the tea plant, so either one suits any time of day. If you already make lemongrass tea, nam takrai is simply a stronger, sweetened batch of it, chilled.
Serving and keeping it
Nam takrai keeps for 3–4 days in the fridge, covered. It is not sterilised, so keep it as you would fresh juice. Serve it very cold over plenty of ice, or warm it gently on a cool evening. The cold-brewed version is the cleanest-tasting of all; the method is the same one we use for cold brewing Thai botanicals.
For the pandan-led cousin of this drink, see nam bai toey.