Product Description
PURPOSE
WHAT IS IT?
Galangal (Ga•LAN•gull) is in the same family of rhizomes as ginger root, but, like turmeric, another rhizome, that’s about where the comparison ends.
Part of the “trinity” of Balinese cooking, along with ginger, and turmeric, it also is a role player in Javanese, Indonesian, Thai, Indian, and other national cuisines.
EXPERIENCE
Galangal has a dried-mustard-like quality, with notes of citrus, and pungent, mildly piney/peppery flavors. It is definitely more of a role player, blended with ginger, turmeric, or other spices to add that warm richness.
Fresh, it is far more aromatic, and it peels and chops like ginger.
Dried, as it is here, is a lot tougher. It comes sliced, whole (here), or powdered.
You can fine hand-grate it, like nutmeg, or soak it in boiling water for 20-30 minutes before using. Get the powdered if you want to use it in larger quantities for curries, teas, etc.
CULINARY GEOGRAPHY
TRADITIONAL USES
- Thai Tom Yum soup;
- Galangal Fried Chicken (Ayem Goreng Laos);
- Many curries;
- Beef Rendang.
IMPROVISATIONAL ‘RIFFS’
- Galangal/lemongrass roasted potatoes;
- Balinese-inspired “Trinity” noodles with galangal, ginger, and turmeric under a spicy soy/miso seabass;
- Roast chicken with garlic, galangal, onion powder, and salt;
- Galangal rye bread
THE BACKSTORY
Galangal is an important herb throughout much of the world. It was first harvested in Java, then in China, going back over 1500 years. In the Middle Ages, it was one of the prized spices that made its way into Europe. One historic use involved a process of spitting the juice from the chewed root onto the floor of a courtroom before the judge enters, a good omen to guarantee a winning case.
AKA
Albanian: Rrënja e Galangalit
Arabic: جذر الخولنجان
Armenian: Գալանգալի արմատ
Azerbaijani: Galangal Kökü
Basque: Galanga Sustraia
Belarusian: Корань галангала
Bengali: গালাঙ্গাল মূল
Bosnian: Korijen Galangala
Bulgarian: Корен галангал
Catalan: Arrel de Galanga
Chinese (Simplified): 高良姜根
Chinese (Traditional): 高良薑根
Croatian: Korijen Galangala
Czech: Kořen Galangalu
Danish: Galangarrod
Dutch: Galangawortel
English: Galangal Root
Estonian: Galangali Juur
Finnish: Galangaljuuri
French: Racine de Galanga
Georgian: გალანგალის ფესვი
German: Galgantwurzel
Greek: Ρίζα Γκαλανγκάλ
Gujarati: ગલાંગલ મૂળ
Hebrew: שורש גלנגל
Hindi: गलंगल जड़
Hungarian: Galanga Gyökér
Icelandic: Galangarót
Indonesian: Akar Lengkuas
Irish: Fréamh Galangal
Italian: Radice di Galanga
Japanese: ガランガル根
Kannada: ಗಲಾಂಗಲ್ ಬೇರು
Kazakh: Галангал Тамыры
Khmer: ឫសកាលាំងកាល់
Korean: 갈랑갈 뿌리
Lao: ຮາກກາລັງການ
Latvian: Galangala Sakne
Lithuanian: Galangalo Šaknis
Macedonian: Корен галангал
Malay: Akar Lengkuas
Malayalam: ഗലാംഗൽ വേർ
Mongolian: Галангал Үндэс
Nepali: गलांगल जरा
Norwegian: Galangarot
Persian (Farsi): ریشه گالانگال
Polish: Korzeń Galangalu
Portuguese: Raiz de Galanga
Punjabi: ਗਲਾਂਗਲ ਜੜ
Romanian: Rădăcină de Galangal
Russian: Корень галангала
Serbian: Корен галангала
Sinhala: ගලංගල් මුල්
Slovak: Koreň Galangalu
Slovenian: Korenina Galangala
Spanish: Raíz de Galanga
Swahili: Mizizi ya Galanga
Swedish: Galangarot
Tamil: கலாங்கல் வேர்
Telugu: గలాంగల్ వేరు
Thai: รากข่า
Turkish: Galangal Kökü
Ukrainian: Корінь галангалу
Urdu: گالانگل جڑ
Uzbek: Galangal Ildizi
Vietnamese: Rễ Riềng
Welsh: Gwraidd Galangal
Yiddish: גאַלאַנגאַל וואָרצל
Zulu: Impande YeGalanga
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