Galangal is a plant that has medicinal properties but is also used in many different Oriental cuisines. Galangal is a member of the Ginger family and in fact resembles it but that is where the comparison ends as there is no similarity in the taste. The plant is used in many Thai dishes such as Tom Yum which is a very tasty soup as well as in Tom Kha Gai. The latter being a chicken soup made with galangal, lemon grass and coconut milk.

There are two variants of Galangal which are known as greater galangal and lesser galangal. This helps to distinguish it from a different variety that is grown in China. In the Thai language the greater galangal is known as Kha or Kha Yai and the lesser galangal called Kha ta daeng.

The plant in its rawest form has a very earthy aroma and there are hints of soap and pine in the flavor. The young shoots of the rhizome are pale pink rather than the beige of the older rhizome and these are much more tender and is much more tasty. It can be used in powdered form, cut into slices or as the whole root.

Galangal requires a very sharp knife to cut it into slices. It is used as a tonic in parts of South East Asia when mixed with lime juice. Galangal is too spicy for it to be eaten raw and it is very tough to cut and slice. Many people who cook with it usually add what they cant cut to the soup as is often the case in Tom Yum. Galangal is often exported as slices in glass jars and water to preserve them. Galangal has also been described as an aphrodisiac and has been used in African American rituals.