by erin thursby scopes1925@msn.com
The local restaurant Galangal is named after a root that is often used in Thai and Eastern cooking. You’ll find it as an ingredient in Thai coconut milk based soups, curries and wet curry pastes.
It’s related to ginger and in home-cooking people often substitute fresh ginger for galangal, but galangal has its own distinctive flavor. It has a kick that’s similar to ginger, but it’s more intense and less sweet, in a unique combination of bitter, spicy and sour. It has a cedar and lemon smell to it that ginger doesn’t.
In the Middle Ages Europeans used it an aphrodisiac and it’s still used to treat stomach aches and nausea in much the same way as ginger is.
Though I’ve never seen any deep fried galangal flowers, apparently Thais fry them and serve them with a hot chili sauce.
Different varieties of galangal have different taste profiles and smells. The two main varieties are lesser galangal and greater galangal. Lesser galangal is smaller, sweeter and hotter with a reddish brown flesh. It is more difficult to find. Greater galangal has yellow-toned flesh and is a bit more common.
Young galangal can look a lot like ginger, but it’s paler and more expensive. Most chefs favor young galangal over older and darker galangal, but some of the more old-school Thai chefs enjoy the more mature, full flavor and aroma of older galangal.
At the oriental grocer, you’ll find galangal in three basic forms: fresh, dried and powdered. (and pickled in brine)
Powdered galangal is the easiest to find. Fresh is generally better, but convenience often overrules high quality. One teaspoon of powder replaces about half an inch of fresh. If you have the option to use fresh, do.
Dried galangal can be commonly found as well, but I don’t recommend it. The flavor isn’t as good as fresh and you have to reconstitute it with hot or warm water. The juice from galangal can stain, so be careful when handling it.
Fresh galangal is more difficult to work with than fresh ginger because it’s woodier. The dense root must be sliced before it’s crushed and put into recipes. When using small matchstick sized pieces in a dish, keep in mind that it must be cooked for a longer time than ginger; otherwise it’s not tender enough to eat. Many chefs actually use it for flavoring and then remove it before serving. It can be stored in the fridge, but it must be kept moist. If you have leftover galangal, it can be stored in the freezer for more extended periods. Just cut into one inch or smaller slices and store in a zip lock bag.
If you haven’t used galangal before and you’d like to experiment with Thai cooking, just head to a local oriental market to buy yourself a new experience in spice.
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