Galangal

Ground galangal, the ginger spice of Asian cooking

Galangal (Alpinia galanga), also called galanga or laos, is a rhizome from Southeast Asia that is botanically related to ginger but clearly differs from it in flavour. While ginger is directly hot and citrus-like, galangal has a more complex, multi-layered aroma, slightly sour, resinous, with a pine-like freshness and a mild, long-lasting seasoning. It is the key spice of Thai tom kha gai and indispensable in many Indonesian and Malay curries.

How to use

Ground galangal can be worked directly into dishes without first having to grate or grind the rhizome. It releases its aroma slowly while cooking and goes with:

• Thai curries and curry pastes, together with lemongrass, kaffir lime and chili
• Tom kha gai, chicken-coconut-milk soup with galangal as the central aroma
• Tom yum soup, a hot Thai soup with prawns
• Indonesian and Malay dishes, rendang, satay marinade, nasi goreng
• Fish and seafood, in Asian marinades and broths
• Poultry, chicken dishes with coconut milk and lime leaf

Recipe idea: tom kha gai (Thai chicken-coconut soup)

Bring 500 ml chicken stock to the boil with 400 ml coconut milk. Add half a tsp ground galangal, 1 tsp lemongrass (ground), 2 kaffir lime leaves and 2 dried chilies. Add 300 g chicken breast fillet in strips and let it cook through for 8 minutes. Season with fish sauce and lime juice, garnish with fresh coriander and chili rings.

At a glance

• Galangal powder with a lemony-mild ginger aroma
• A classic for tom kha gai, tom yum, Thai curries and rendang
• Seasons chicken, fish, seafood and rice
• Workshop quality from Klingenberg am Main, without flavour enhancers and additives

Goes well with

Galangal is rarely used on its own, it unfolds best in combination with other Asian spices. Classic companions from our workshop are Garam Masala for Indian variations, Curry Mumbai or Curry Anapurna for curry pastes, cumin and coriander seeds from Churfranken as whole seeds, and turmeric for colour and depth.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between galangal and ginger?
Ginger is directly hot and citrus-like, galangal more complex, slightly sour, resinous, with a pine-like freshness. They are not interchangeable one to one, each rhizome has its own character.

How do I dose galangal?
Sparingly, half to one tsp of ground galangal per 4 portions of soup or curry. Galangal is more intense than dried ginger.

When do I add galangal?
At the start of cooking into the broth or when frying the curry paste. That way it releases its aroma slowly and fully.

What does galangal taste like?
Sour-mild with a gentle, pine-fresh ginger aroma and a long-lasting, resinous seasoning. Noticeably more complex than plain ginger.