Galanga

How to Cook with Galangal?

Sliced galangal root is primarily used infused in broths, sauces, marinades, or coconut milk. It can be added to foil-baked dishes, curries, or soups, much like an aromatic herb—to deeply flavor the dish without necessarily being eaten. It is best added at the beginning of cooking so it can slowly infuse, or it can be steeped in hot water or milk before use. It may also be pounded in a mortar to blend into a homemade curry paste.

Recipe Ideas for Using Galangal in Cooking

• - Thai Tom Kha Soup with Galangal: in a chicken or vegetable broth, infuse slices of galangal, kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass, and chili. Add coconut milk, mushrooms, shrimp or chicken, and a squeeze of lime juice;
• - Homemade Red Curry Flavored with Galangal: prepare your curry paste with rehydrated, pounded galangal, garlic, shallots, red chili, lemongrass, cumin, and coriander. Sauté the paste in a bit of oil before adding coconut milk, vegetables, or meat;
• - Fragrant Rice with Galangal and Lemongrass: add a few pieces of galangal to the cooking water of jasmine rice along with a lemongrass stalk and a bay leaf.

The Distinctive Aroma of Galangal

Galangal offers a bold and vibrant aromatic profile: more camphorated than ginger, with resinous touches, peppery notes, and a citrusy freshness. It evokes ginger root, Scots pine, and cardamom, with an intensity that truly unfolds when heated.

Ginger’s Cousin

Originally from Southeast Asia, galangal (Alpinia galanga) belongs to the large Zingiberaceae family, just like ginger and cardamom. This perennial plant with a fleshy rhizome is mainly cultivated in Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia. Once dried, its root appears in light brown, fibrous chunks that are highly aromatic.