Guide to Galangal: Peanut Satay Sauce Recipe With Galangal

Galangal is a tuberous rhizome in the turmeric and ginger family (Zingiberaceae) native to Southeast Asia, commonly used in Chinese, Indonesian, and Thai cooking. Known colloquially as “Thai” or “Siamese” ginger, galangal has a bright, citrusy flavor that makes it a natural companion to lemongrass. The rhizome is sold as whole fresh rhizomes—just like ginger—or in dried form, usually in pre-sliced pieces or a powder.

There are four main varieties of galangal: Greater galangal (Alpinia galanga), native to Java, Indonesia; lesser galangal (Alpinia officinarum), from China; a varietal known as Chinese ginger (Boesenbergia rotunda), and black galangal, also called Thai ginseng (Kaempferia galanga). Lesser galangal is the most commonly found in Asian markets or grocery stores.

Galangal has long had a place in Ayurvedic and traditional Chinese medicine, where it is often used for its purported anti-inflammatory properties.

As a cornerstone of South Asian cuisine, galangal can be found in many familiar Southeast Asian recipes. It pairs well with everything from roasted chicken to grilled prawns and braised tofu. Here are some ways to use the galangal in your cooking:

1. 1. Add it to condiments. Ground galangal adds a piney-sweet top note to condiments like sambal, Thai green curry and red curry paste, and spice blends like ras el hanout.
2. 2. Use it as a seasoning. As a spice, you can add galangal to marinades, soups, stir-fries, and desserts. In Thailand and Laos, galangal appears in the peanut dipping sauce for chicken satay and gives levity to creamy, rich coconut milk in coconut soups like tom kha and tom yum. Galangal also has a starring role in spicy beef rendang, an Indonesian stew.
3. 3. Use it as a paste to flavor stews. In Malaysian cuisine, where it’s known as lengkuas, galangal is made into a paste before being added to stews, curries, and soups like laksa.

Galangal and ginger can be difficult to distinguish from one another, but they offer distinct flavors and uses:

• Flavor: The flavor of fresh galangal root is more potent than its gingery cousin, with a dominant sweet citrus flavor and sharp bite. Ginger, on the whole, is generally milder, with a soft balance of sweetness and spice—though it has a stronger smell than galangal.
• Texture: Galangal has a very firm, fibrous flesh that must be thinly sliced or used in powder form. Ginger is much softer, and can be easily grated or minced.
• Appearance: Ginger root’s papery skin is a darker shade of brown or deep yellow, while galangal skin is pale yellow with hints of pink.