Galangal is a plant that has medicinal properties but is also used in many different Oriental cuisines. Galangal is a member of the Ginger family and in fact resembles it but that is where the comparison ends as there is no similarity in the taste. The plant is used in many Thai dishes such as Tom Yum which is a very tasty soup as well as in Tom Kha Gai. The latter being a chicken soup made with galangal, lemon grass and coconut milk.

Galangal requires a very sharp knife to cut it into slices. It is used as a tonic in parts of South East Asia when mixed with lime juice. Galangal is too spicy for it to be eaten raw and it is very tough to cut and slice. Many people who cook with it usually add what they cant cut to the soup as is often the case in Tom Yum.

There are two variants of Galangal which are known as greater galangal and lesser galangal. This helps to distinguish it from a different variety that is grown in China. In the Thai language the greater galangal is known as Kha or Kha Yai and the lesser galangal called Kha ta daeng.

The plant in its rawest form has a very earthy aroma and there are hints of soap and pine in the flavour. The young shoots of the rhizome are pale pink rather than the beige of the older rhizome and these are much more tender and is much more tasty. It can be used in powdered form, cut into slices or as the whole root.

Note:

Our Asian Fruits and Vegetables are air freighted bi-weekly from Thailand, ensuring you receive the freshest and highest quality produce available. We only dispatch Monday-Thursday for next day delivery you will be advised via email on the day we dispatch.

Storage: it is essential that you read the storage instructions below.

Available Weights 100g & 1Kg