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Encyclopedia
Fingerroot also known as Chinese ginger, is a medicinal and culinary herb from China
and Southeast Asia
. In English, the root has traditionally been called Fingerroot, because the shape of the rhizome resembles that of fingers growing out of a center piece.
. It is widely used in Javanese cuisine
in Indonesia
.
In Thai cooking it is called krachai . It is used in some kroeung
pastes of Cambodian cuisine and is known as k'cheay . In the west it is usually found pickled
or frozen. It is sometimes confused with Lesser galangal
(Alpinia officinarum), which is also in the family Zingiberaceae
.
In Manipuri, it is called Yai-macha .
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
and Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
. In English, the root has traditionally been called Fingerroot, because the shape of the rhizome resembles that of fingers growing out of a center piece.
Uses
Fingerroot is known as temu kunci in IndonesianIndonesian language
Indonesian is the official language of Indonesia. Indonesian is a normative form of the Riau Islands dialect of Malay, an Austronesian language which has been used as a lingua franca in the Indonesian archipelago for centuries....
. It is widely used in Javanese cuisine
Javanese cuisine
Javanese cuisine is the cuisine of Javanese people. In wider sense, Javanese cuisine might also refer to the cuisine of the whole people of Java Island, Indonesia; which also include Sundanese in West Java, Betawi people in Jakarta and Madurese on Madura Island off East Java...
in Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
.
In Thai cooking it is called krachai . It is used in some kroeung
Kroeung
Kroeung is the base flavor of many Khmer dishes, often being dubbed with the "Kroeung" suffix. similar in form and function to Thai curry pastes...
pastes of Cambodian cuisine and is known as k'cheay . In the west it is usually found pickled
Pickling
Pickling, also known as brining or corning is the process of preserving food by anaerobic fermentation in brine to produce lactic acid, or marinating and storing it in an acid solution, usually vinegar . The resulting food is called a pickle. This procedure gives the food a salty or sour taste...
or frozen. It is sometimes confused with Lesser galangal
Lesser galangal
Alpinia officinarum, known as lesser galangal, is a plant in the ginger family, cultivated in Southeast Asia. It originated in China, where its name ultimately derives. It can grow several feet high, with long leaves and reddish-white flowers. The rhizomes, known as galangal, are valued for their...
(Alpinia officinarum), which is also in the family Zingiberaceae
Zingiberaceae
Zingiberaceae, or the Ginger family, is a family of flowering plants consisting of aromatic perennial herbs with creeping horizontal or tuberous rhizomes, comprising ca. 52 genera and more than 1300 species, distributed throughout tropical Africa, Asia, and the Americas.Many species are important...
.
In Manipuri, it is called Yai-macha .