Galangal

Until recently you could only buy galangal, also known as galanga or laos, in Asian grocers, but the explosion in Thai restaurants and the attendant public interest in Southeast Asian cooking means it is now much more widely available. Like ginger, galangal is a tuberous rhizome and has a similar appearance, though on close inspection you will note that it has a smoother and more shiny skin, and when you try to cut into it you will find it is much harder – indeed it is almost as hard as wood. The easiest way to deal with it, therefore, is to grate it.