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Galangal.

Submitted by Blog - Henriette on 14 March, 2006 - 10:00
Blog categories: 
Single herbs
Botanical name: 
Alpinia galanga
Alpinia officinarum

Woot, I found galangal roots!

Photo: Alpinia galanga 2. They had them at our local megamarket, and of course I promptly bought some.

I don't know if these are greater galangal (Alpinia galanga) or lesser galangal (Alpinia officinarum) - or something else again. (I'd love to know, though.)

Now, hints and tips. How should I use them? Throw them into stirfry? Slice'n'dry and use in teas? Something else?

Comments

Submitted by jim mcdonald (not verified) on 14 March, 2006 - 17:39.

Ooh... galangal is a ~really~ good spice. I haven't so much experience with the fresh root (though I have meant to plant one, I don't think they're cold hardy), but use the dry quite a bit. Usually, I make a nice strong green tea, add galangal powder and a bit of garlic powder, and poach seafood in it. Swordfish is ~insanely good~ :

http://www.herbcraft.org/greengalan... (and yes, I know... mercury. Moderation; a once in awhile treat)

But other poachable seafoods are also delicious. The Galangal just works great with the green tea.

Otherwise, consider it in place of ginger, taking into account a mildy peppery nature...

Submitted by Henriette on 14 March, 2006 - 22:55.

Nice recipe, Jim! I think I get the drift; we'll see what I come up with. Chicken and green tea and soy sauce and galangal, eh? Perhaps with some ananas cubes, or peaches, or something.

Submitted by jim mcdonald (not verified) on 15 March, 2006 - 01:30.

Just be conservative with the soy sauce, of course; it's easy to overpower the delicacies of the tea...

Submitted by Henriette on 15 March, 2006 - 11:17.

Jim? Fresh galangal has no "mildy peppery nature". That's extremely hot. As in "it burned my tongue!".

Of course, I'm a wimp when it comes to various hot peppers, so your mild peppery taste might be eye-watering to me.

Submitted by jim mcdonald (not verified) on 15 March, 2006 - 17:32.

Oh; it's still hot (hot like strong fresh ginger), to be sure, but by "peppery" I mean flavor wise, like black pepper. I've told people who couldn't find it but liked the green tea recipe they mighth substitute ginger & black pepper for it...

Strangely, the dried root, freshly powdered, smells almost eucalyptus-y, though it doesn't really taste that way...