"Howard Johnson" > wrote in message
...
>
> I've bought fresh galanga (red ginger) at local asian
> groceries here in Columbus, Ohio. How do you know if it is
> greater or lesser galanga?

Beats me! You would have to compare it with Gernot's pictures or
find a botanist who knows about South Asian plants!


> James Silverton wrote:
>> Hello, Gerry!
>> You wrote on Sun, 31 Dec 2006 17:24:53 -0800:
>>
>> G> I bought this at the store, as it was CLEARLY ginger root.
>> G> I think I know what ginger root looks like.
>>
>> G> Does anybody know what "cu ghieng" means in Vietnamese.
>> It's
>> G> the spitting image of ginger! :-)
>>
>> I've never come across the name before but, if it is not
>> actually ginger, it is probably Greater or Lesser Galangal
>> (Kaempferia rotunda Jacq. or K. galanga L) according to
>> Gernot Katzer's Spice pages. The plants are related to ginger
>> and taste similar tho' not identical. I have some and it is
>> labelled "Dried Rhizome"!


Good Luck!


--
James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland