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Aroy Mak Mak

Galangal

ข่า

Kha: ginger’s piney, peppery cousin, essential in tom yum and curry pastes.

Galangal

Galangal looks like ginger, with pale, ringed skin and pink shoots, but it tastes quite different. Where ginger is warm and spicy-sweet, galangal is sharp, piney and peppery, with a clean citrus scent.

It is the backbone of Thai soups and curry pastes. Using ginger instead is the most common mistake in home-cooked tom yum; it makes the soup taste muddy and Chinese rather than Thai.

Pronunciationkaa
FlavourSharp, peppery, piney and citrusy, with a medicinal edge
Used inTom yum, tom kha, almost every curry paste, larb
SubstituteDried galangal slices or galangal paste; not ginger

Young and old galangal

Young galangal (kha on) is pale, with pink tips, a thin skin and juicy, crisp flesh that slices easily. It is milder, and is even eaten raw with nam prik dips. Mature galangal is tougher, more fibrous and much more pungent; it needs a sharp knife and is best for pastes and broths.

How to prepare it

  • For soups: slice thinly across the grain into coins, no need to peel. The slices flavour the broth and are left on the side of the bowl.
  • For curry pastes: peel, slice thinly, then chop finely before pounding. Galangal is very fibrous, so it goes into the mortar early, with the lemongrass.
  • For larb: some cooks add a little finely chopped galangal or toast and grind dried galangal into the dressing.

Buying and storing

Look for firm, plump roots with smooth, shiny skin and no wrinkles. Wrapped in paper inside a bag, it keeps for two to three weeks in the fridge. Sliced galangal freezes very well and can go straight into soups. Dried galangal slices, soaked briefly, work well in soups if fresh is unavailable; galangal powder is a poor substitute.

Cook’s tip

The kha in tom kha gai means galangal, and the soup should taste of it. Be generous: ten thin slices for four bowls is not too many.

More Vegetables

All Vegetables

Recipes with Galangal

Kua Kling (Southern Dry Curry)

ผัด

Kua Kling (Southern Dry Curry)

Minced pork dry-fried in a fiery turmeric curry paste until every grain is coated, finished with shredded makrut lime leaves.

40 min · Medium

Tom Kha Gai

ต้ม

Tom Kha Gai

A mellow coconut and galangal soup with chicken and mushrooms, sharp with lime and gently hot.

35 min · Easy

Tom Yum Goong

ต้ม

Tom Yum Goong

Hot, sour and fragrant prawn soup with lemongrass, galangal and makrut lime leaves, finished with lime juice and nam prik pao.

40 min · Easy

Sai Oua (Northern Thai Herb Sausage)

ย่างและทอด

Sai Oua (Northern Thai Herb Sausage)

Chiang Mai’s famous coiled pork sausage, packed with lemongrass, galangal, makrut lime and dried chilli, grilled slowly over charcoal.

90 min · Medium