Naming
"K. galanga" is differentiated from other galangals by the absence of stem and dark brown, rounded rhizomes, while the other varieties all have stems and pale rosebrown rhizomes. It is also sometimes called lesser galangal, which properly refers to "Alpinia officinarum".⤷ "Alpinia galanga"
⤷ "Alpinia zerumbet"
⤷ "Curcuma longa"
⤷ "Etlingera elatior"
⤷ "Etlingera maingayi"
⤷ "Etlingera fulgens"
⤷ "Kaempferia angustifolia"
⤷ "Kaempferia rotunda"
⤷ "Zingiber cassumunar"
⤷ "Zingiber officinale"
Uses
"Kaempferia galanga" is used as a spice in cooking in Indonesia, where it is called "kencur", and especially in Javanese and Balinese cuisines. "Beras kencur", which combines dried "K. galanga" powder with rice flour, is a particularly popular "jamu" herbal drink. Its leaves are also used in the Malay rice dish, "nasi ulam".Unlike the similar "Boesenbergia rotunda", "K. galanga" is not commonly used in Thai cuisine, but can be bought as a dried rhizome or in powder form at herbal medicine stalls. It is known in Thai as "proh horm" or "waan horm", and in Khmer as "prâh" or "prâh krâ-oup". It is also used in Chinese cooking and Chinese medicine, and is sold in Chinese groceries under the name "sha jiang", while the plant itself is referred to as "shan nai". "Kaempferia galanga" has a peppery camphorous taste.
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