Sand ginger (kencur) ✦

Kencur (gingembre des sables)

What it is

The plant has no stem: two round leaves lie flat on the soil like saucers, which is where the English name found its sand. Its aroma comes from ethyl methoxycinnamate rather than the gingerols that make ginger hot, so it reads as pine resin and camphor — a third rhizome to keep straight, after ginger and galangal.

In the kitchen

Use a tenth of what you would use of ginger: a thumbnail of the fresh rhizome, or a quarter-teaspoon of powder, is enough for a paste for four. Past that it turns soapy and medicinal, and there is no cooking it back out.

Goes with

Lemongrass Garlic Shallot Chili pepper Palm sugar Tamarind paste Coconut milk Peanut

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