---
title: "Stalk: what it means in cooking — Tiny Plates"
description: "In most recipes a stalk of celery means one rib, not the whole bunch. Here is what stalk means for celery, lemongrass, rhubarb and broccoli."
url: "https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/stalk"
---

# Stalk

In most recipes a stalk of celery means one rib, not the whole bunch. Here is what stalk means for celery, lemongrass, rhubarb and broccoli.

Also called Rib, Stick of celery, Stalks, Stem.

A stalk is the long main stem of a plant. In recipes it most often means one rib of celery: a single curved piece pulled from the bundle. Strictly speaking, the whole bundle is the stalk and each piece is a rib, but almost every modern recipe uses stalk to mean one rib. In the UK it is called a stick of celery. The word also comes up with lemongrass, rhubarb, broccoli, chard and Brussels sprouts.

## How to do it

For celery:

1. Pull a rib from the outside of the bunch.
2. [Trim](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/trim) the pale base and the leafy top. Keep the leaves for stock or salads.
3. If the outside is stringy, run a vegetable peeler down the back.
4. Slice or dice as the recipe says.

For lemongrass, cut off the root end and the dry, grassy top, leaving the bottom 10 to 12 cm (4 to 5 inches). Peel off the tough outer layer, then bash it with the back of a knife to cook whole, or slice it very thin to eat.

For broccoli, peel the tough skin off the main stem and slice the pale, tender inside. It cooks in about the same time as the florets.

## How to use it

Rough amounts for one stalk:

| One stalk of            | Rough weight | What you get                      |
| ----------------------- | ------------ | --------------------------------- |
| Celery (one medium rib) | 40 to 60 g   | about ½ cup chopped               |
| Lemongrass              | 15 to 25 g   | 1 to 2 tablespoons finely chopped |
| Rhubarb                 | 50 to 100 g  | about ½ to ¾ cup sliced           |
| Broccoli (main stem)    | 80 to 150 g  | about 1 cup sliced                |

If a recipe says "2 stalks celery" and gives no weight, use two medium ribs, not two whole bunches. Two whole bunches would be well over a kilogram.

## Common mistakes

* Using a whole bunch of celery when the recipe meant one rib. Celery takes over a dish quickly.
* Eating rhubarb leaves. Only the stalks are eaten. The leaves are poisonous.
* Leaving the woody top of lemongrass in a dish. It never softens.

## In recipes

You will see "1 celery stalk, diced" in a [mirepoix](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/mirepoix) or the Cajun [holy trinity](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/holy-trinity), "2 stalks lemongrass, bruised" and "4 stalks rhubarb, cut into 2 cm pieces". A whole celery plant is also called a [head](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/head) or a bunch.

## Related terms

* [HeadA head is a whole, compact vegetable such as garlic, lettuce, cabbage, cauliflower or broccoli. Here is how big one usually is and how to cut it.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/head)
* [BunchA bunch is fresh herbs or vegetables sold tied together. Sizes vary from shop to shop, so here is roughly how much a recipe means by one.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/bunch)
* [SprigA sprig is a single small stem of a fresh herb with its leaves still on, about 5 to 10 cm long. Here is how much a sprig gives and how to use it.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/sprig)
* [MirepoixMirepoix is diced onion, carrot and celery, usually two parts onion to one each of the others. It is the flavor base of French stocks, soups and braises.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/mirepoix)
* [Holy trinityThe holy trinity is onion, celery and green bell pepper, chopped and cooked as the flavor base of Cajun and Creole dishes such as gumbo and jambalaya.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/holy-trinity)
* [TrimTo trim is to cut away the parts of an ingredient you do not want to cook or eat, such as excess fat, silverskin, tough stems, root ends or bruised spots.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/trim)

[More in measurements](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/category/measurements)[Every term from A to Z](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary)