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Galangal looks like ginger and is not ginger. Swapping one for the other is the most common mistake in a Thai curry.
The best galangal substitute
Use fresh ginger with a strip of lime zest, roughly two thirds the amount of galangal called for. Ginger alone is warmer and sweeter and misses the sharp, almost medicinal edge galangal has. The lime zest covers most of that gap.
Every substitute, ranked
- Frozen or dried galangal. The real thing. Use frozen one for one, or 1 tsp dried powder per 2 cm of fresh.
- Fresh ginger plus lime zest. Two thirds the amount, plus a strip of zest. The best supermarket answer.
- Ginger plus a pinch of ground black pepper. The pepper stands in for the sharpness. Less close, still workable.
- Fresh ginger alone. Two thirds the amount. Sweeter and rounder, but the dish will read as generic.
- Galangal paste. Sold in tubes. Convenient, though often diluted, so taste as you go.
Galangal or ginger?
They are related rhizomes with different flavours. Galangal is sharper, more citrusy and slightly piney, with a firm, woody texture. Ginger is warmer, sweeter and juicier. In Thai cooking galangal is the default, and using ginger instead is why home versions of tom kha never quite taste right.
| Galangal | Ginger | |
|---|---|---|
| Skin | Pale, smooth, pinkish shoots | Beige, thin, papery |
| Flesh | Firm and woody | Softer and juicy |
| Taste | Sharp, citrusy, piney | Warm, sweet, peppery |
| Grating | Hard work. Usually sliced | Grates easily |
Swaps by dish
| Dish | Best swap |
|---|---|
| Tom kha gai | Frozen galangal if at all possible. This soup is built on it |
| Thai curry paste | Ginger plus lime zest, blitzed with the other aromatics |
| Tom yum | Ginger plus lime zest, with extra kaffir lime leaf |
| Indonesian and Malaysian curries | Ginger, since the spice base carries more of the flavour anyway |
| Sliced into a broth | Ginger slices plus a strip of lime peel, lifted out later |
Where to buy galangal in the UK
Fresh galangal is rare in supermarkets but common in Thai, Chinese and Vietnamese grocers. Frozen sliced galangal is easier to find, cheaper, and works just as well in cooking. Dried slices and powder keep in the cupboard and are the practical fallback if you have no Asian shop nearby.
- Fresh: Asian grocers, occasionally larger supermarkets
- Frozen sliced: Asian grocers and online, the best value option
- Dried or powdered: online and in spice shops
- Fresh galangal freezes well. Buy a big piece and slice from frozen
Frequently asked questions
Can I use ginger instead of galangal?
Yes, but the dish will taste different. Ginger is sweeter and lacks the citrus sharpness. Use about two thirds the amount and add a strip of lime zest to close the gap.
Is galangal the same as Thai ginger?
Thai ginger is a common English name for galangal, so yes in that sense. It is a different plant from culinary ginger despite the name and the family resemblance.
Do you eat galangal?
Not usually in slices. It is woody and fibrous, so it goes into a broth or curry for flavour and gets left on the side of the plate. Pounded into a paste it disappears into the dish.
Is dried galangal as good as fresh?
No, but it is a reasonable stand in. Dried galangal loses the bright citrus notes and keeps the woody ones. Soak the slices in warm water for twenty minutes before use.
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- Galangal paste. The real thing, in a jar, no fresh root needed.
- Ginger paste. The closest common substitute, already prepared.
