Sand ginger is the common English name for Kaempferia galanga, a small, stemless member of the ginger family (Zingiberaceae) whose aromatic rhizome is used in cooking in Indonesia, Malaysia and southern China. It is one of the 15 botanicals in TeaTapee’s blend, where it adds a sharp, faintly camphor-like brightness above the woody Jewel Vine base.
This profile covers the plant itself: what it looks like, what it is called, where it grows, what it tastes like, and how it differs from the other ginger-family plants it is often confused with.
What is sand ginger?
Sand ginger is a low, stemless herb. It usually grows just two broad, rounded leaves, sometimes three, that lie almost flat on the ground, and in season it opens small white flowers marked with purple on the lip. The part that is used is the rhizome: small and branching, with a dark brown skin and pale, greenish-white flesh that smells strongly aromatic when cut.
It belongs to Zingiberaceae, the same family as common ginger, galangal, turmeric and cardamom, and it is a close relative of Thai Black Ginger, which sits in the same genus, Kaempferia.
What is Kaempferia galanga called in other languages?
In English it is sold as sand ginger or aromatic ginger, and it is sometimes called resurrection lily. In Thai it is proh hom (เปราะหอม). In Indonesia it is kencur, in Malaysia cekur, and in Chinese it goes by 山柰 (shān nài) and 沙姜 (shā jiāng), which literally means “sand ginger”.
The word galanga in its botanical name causes a lot of confusion, because it sounds like galangal, which is a different plant.
Is sand ginger the same as galangal?
No. Galangal (Alpinia galanga, kha in Thai) is a tall plant with leafy stems and a large, firm rhizome; it is the galangal of tom kha and many Thai curry pastes. Sand ginger is low and stemless, with a much smaller rhizome and a sharper, more camphor-like aroma. The name “lesser galangal” belongs to a third plant, Alpinia officinarum, though it is sometimes misapplied to sand ginger.
Sand ginger is also not the same as Thai Black Ginger (Kaempferia parviflora, krachai dam), whose flesh is a deep purple-black, or fingerroot (Boesenbergia rotunda, krachai), which grows as clusters of slender, finger-like roots. And it is a relative of common ginger, not a variety of it.
Where does sand ginger grow?
Sand ginger is native from India and Bangladesh through Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam to south-central China. It is grown well beyond that range, and it is now established in parts of Indonesia, the Malay Peninsula, the Philippines, Taiwan and Sri Lanka, among other places.
TeaTapee’s blend is put together and packed in Thailand, one of the countries where the plant grows naturally.
What does sand ginger taste like?
Sand ginger is peppery and pungent, with a distinctly camphor-like, resinous aroma. It is sharper and more herbal than common ginger and quite different from the pine-like, peppery bite of galangal. A little goes a long way.
In the kitchen, that sharpness is used in small amounts. Indonesian cooks pound kencur into the peanut sauces for dishes such as pecel and gado-gado; in Malaysia cekur leaves are eaten raw with rice as part of ulam; and in Cantonese cooking, dried and ground sand ginger is the defining flavor of sand ginger chicken.
What does sand ginger add to TeaTapee’s blend?
Sand ginger is one of two aromatic rhizomes in the blend, alongside Thai Black Ginger. The two are related but taste different in the cup: Thai Black Ginger leans warm and peppery, while sand ginger leans aromatic and slightly camphorous. Together they give the cup its gingery lift without either one overwhelming the Jewel Vine base.
How much water you use changes how much of it you notice. A little more water favors the lighter, more volatile notes, so sand ginger, star anise and cardamom come through more clearly; a little less brings the woody base forward. Our guide to brewing the perfect cup has the times, and the guide to all 15 herbs covers the rest of the blend.
If you would like to taste it, sand ginger is one of the 15 botanicals in TeaTapee’s 15-herb tea bags.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the scientific name of sand ginger?
Sand ginger is Kaempferia galanga, a species first described by Linnaeus. It belongs to the ginger family, Zingiberaceae, in the same genus as Thai Black Ginger.
Is sand ginger the same as galangal?
No. Galangal is Alpinia galanga, a tall, leafy plant with a large rhizome. Sand ginger is Kaempferia galanga, a low, stemless plant with a small rhizome and a sharper, camphor-like aroma.
What is sand ginger called in Thai?
Sand ginger is called proh hom (เปราะหอม) in Thai. It is also known as kencur in Indonesia, cekur in Malaysia and shā jiāng in Chinese.
What does sand ginger taste like?
Sand ginger tastes peppery and pungent, with a camphor-like, resinous aroma. It is sharper and more herbal than common ginger, so it is used in small amounts.
Is Kaempferia galanga the same as Thai black ginger?
No. Both are in the genus Kaempferia, but Thai Black Ginger is Kaempferia parviflora, with deep purple-black flesh. Sand ginger, Kaempferia galanga, has pale, greenish-white flesh and a camphor-like aroma.