A rhizome closely related to ginger but with a sharper, more citrusy and piney flavor profile. It has pale yellow flesh with pink shoots and is essential in Southeast Asian cuisines, particularly Thai, Indonesian, and Malaysian cooking.
From Arabic 'khalanjan,' which came from Chinese 'gao liang jiang' (高良薑), meaning 'good ginger from Gao.' The spice traveled along ancient trade routes, with each culture adapting the name as it became integrated into local cuisines, eventually reaching English through Old French 'galingale.'
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