Galangal: Have you tried it... | Just Ingredients

Galangal: Have you tried it..

Galangal: Have you tried it... | Just Ingredients

Its Roots Are in the Far East

St. Hildegard of Bingen was one of the foremost herbal authorities of the 12th century. Many of her formulae for illnesses and diseases are still used in natural medicine today. A prominent ingredient in many of her writings was galangal.

A close relative of the ginger root, and often mistaken for a Jerusalem artichoke, galangal is widely used in South-East Asian cuisine and is well respected for its intrinsic health benefits, as well as its culinary enhancing qualities.

Galangal was known to the ancient Indians, and has been in the West since the Middle-Ages. Its stimulant and tonic properties were recognized by the Arabs who gingered up their horses with it, and by the Tartars, who took it in tea. In the East, it was taken powdered as a snuff, and was used in perfumery and in brewing.

Similar to ginger, galangal can be used powdered, bruised or crushed. One slice of the root is equivalent to half a teaspoon of powder. Generally small quantities are specified in recipes. The powders should be stored in airtight containers and used within a short space of time. Fresh galangal should be peeled and, if placed in a jar of sherry and refrigerated, can be stored for several months.

The use of galangal is prominent in local Indonesian dishes such as curries. Although known in Europe since the Middle Ages, galangal is now used primarily only in Far Eastern cookery. Like ginger, galangal appears frequently in fish and shellfish recipes, often combined with garlic, ginger, chilli and lemon or tamarind. As well as with fish, is used in a wide variety of dishes such as sauces, soups, satays and sambals, chicken, meat and vegetable curries, and rice dishes. Although often used in fiery hot Indonesian cookery, galangal powder also enhances milder dishes such as chicken delicately spiced with fennel and lemon grass and gently cooked in coconut milk. However, these mild dishes are usually accompanied by vegetable or fish sambals fiery with chilli.

Galangal is used in a wide variety of homeopathic treatments. It is used to prevent nausea; cure flatulence and dyspepsia; reduce the pains caused by rheumatism; and help treat various forms of enteritis. It also possesses tonic and antibacterial qualities and is used for these properties in veterinary medicine. In India, it is used as a body deodorizer and halitosis remedy. Galangal has also been used in Europe and Asia as an aphrodisiac for centuries.

One serving (64g) of galangal contains 45 calories and 2 g of dietary fibre. It is also an excellent source of sodium, iron, vitamins A and C.

If ginger is a staple in your kitchen, try using galangal for a slightly different, yet equally exciting, taste sensation.

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