[Sca-cooks] galingale/galanga/galangal

[Johnna Holloway]

If you type in the various terms
galingale
galanga
galangal
into Google image searching you can look at what are identified as the
various items under discussion.
Pezeys sells Galangal
A close relative of ginger, galangal is an important and popular 
ingredient in the foods of Indonesia and Southeast Asia, especially in 
Thailand. Ground Galangal (formerly called Laos powder) is easier to 
work with than whole Galangal and is commonly called for in recipes. The 
flavor is similar to ginger, but more flowery and intense. Use small 
amounts when starting out. Its flavor combines with ginger and lemon 
grass in Thai cooking, and with white pepper and/or cayenne for 
seasoning fish, meat or poultry. From Thailand.

In Ginger East to West,  Bruce Cost talks about both
varieties.

Johnnae

Phil Troy / G. Tacitus Adamantius wrote:
> On Jan 11, 2007, at 7:47 AM, Craig Jones wrote:
>>  always thought that Galanga and laos were different beasts. From  
>> my days
>> in Thailand I remember Laos (Chinese Keys) as being long, white or  
>> pale
>> brown and finger like whilst Galanga was a larger root with a pink  
>> tinge.
>>     
> It's my understanding that one is the Greater, and one the Lesser,  
> Galingale. I forget which is which, but yes, there's a reddish- 
> skinned one and a whitish one... to me, both taste a fair amount like  
> a Halls Eucalyptus Cough Drop. But as was pointed out, they've got  
> "camphor" in their name, so I'm not surprised as a certain resinous  
> quality...
> Adamantius
>