Martin Yan - Galangal

"The more you understand the ingredients, the better cook you will become."
-Martin Yan

These are common ingredients found in local cuisine. You can find these ingredients readily available in your local supermarket.

Galangal

Galangal is a rhizome with a thin, translucent, pale yellow skin. It looks similar to young ginger, but galangal has thin, dark growth rings on its surface and woody pink shoots. It also comes in the form of powder or dried slices, which need to be soaked before use.

Of course, fresh is best, but it is hard to find and dried products are comparable in quality. A ½-inch piece of fresh galangal is equivalent to about 1 teaspoon of the powder. Powdered and dried slices yield a stronger, more intense flavor compared to fresh, which is mellower. Slice fresh galangal or use dried slices to flavor stews. Unlike ginger, galangal slices aren’t eaten but are removed from finished dishes – it has a slight medicinal taste when eaten alone. Pound fresh galangal or soaked slices until smooth and add to curry blends.

Wrap fresh galangal in a paper bag and refrigerate for up to two weeks. Store dried galangal slices and powder in a cool, dry place for up to several months.