galangal
galangal Lexical Profile
galangal Game Scores & Validity
• noun
The knobby, aromatic underground rhizome of several tropical Southeast Asian plants in the ginger family, having tough pale flesh with a pungent, citrusy, and pine-like flavor, widely sliced or pounded as a culinary root vegetable and spice in Thai, Indonesian, and Malaysian cuisines.
"The chef bruised several slices of fresh galangal and lemongrass to infuse the coconut soup with a bright, citrusy aroma."
Any of several perennial herbaceous plants of the family Zingiberaceae (especially genera Alpinia, Boesenbergia, and Kaempferia) native to tropical Asia, cultivated for their fragrant rhizomes and tall leafy stems.
"Rows of galangal flourished in the humid, shaded garden alongside turmeric and cardamom plants."
Word Nuance & Usage
Although closely related and visually similar to common ginger, galangal is not directly interchangeable with it in cooking, as galangal has a much firmer, woodier texture and a sharper, piney, citrus-like flavor.
• Rhymes for galangal
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed via Old French and Medieval Latin from Arabic khalanjan, which ultimately derives from Chinese gaoliangjiang, meaning 'ginger from Gaoliang' (a historical prefecture in Guangdong province).
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.