Quick answer
Sand Ginger or Kencur: What It Is and How It Differs from Galangal
Sand ginger and kencur are names for Kaempferia galanga, an aromatic rhizome with a warm, peppery and distinctly camphor-like character. It is not the same plant as greater galangal (Alpinia galanga) or fingerroot (Boesenbergia rotunda). Use sand ginger sparingly in Indonesian or Thai spice pastes, marinades and curries.
- Sand ginger and kencur refer to Kaempferia galanga.
- Greater galangal is Alpinia galanga; fingerroot is Boesenbergia rotunda.
- Kencur is strongly aromatic, so ¼–½ teaspoon can be enough for a dish.
Sand ginger is a useful spice with a difficult naming problem. English labels may say sand ginger, Indonesian recipes often say kencur, and the botanical name is Kaempferia galanga. Meanwhile, galangal and fingerroot sit nearby in the same broad culinary world and are easily mistaken for it.
The simplest way through the confusion is to keep the botanical names and flavours together. Kencur has a camphor-bright, peppery and perfumed warmth that gives certain spice pastes their recognisable identity.
What is sand ginger or kencur?
Sand ginger is the English name used here for the rhizome of Kaempferia galanga. Kencur is its familiar Indonesian name and appears frequently in recipes and ingredient searches.
Green Botanica offers the dried ground rhizome. Its pale beige powder is concentrated and belongs in assertive savoury preparations rather than delicate dishes.
What does kencur taste like?
The aroma is camphor-like, warm, peppery and slightly medicinal. That last word is descriptive rather than negative: it is the penetrating lift that separates kencur from ordinary ginger and makes it recognisable in a spice paste.
The powder can be stronger than its first smell suggests. Begin with less than seems necessary, cook it with the aromatics and taste the finished dish before adding more.
Sand ginger, galangal and fingerroot compared
Sand ginger is Kaempferia galanga and leans towards camphor, pepper and perfume. Greater galangal is Alpinia galanga, with a brighter pine-like, peppery and citrus character. Fingerroot is Boesenbergia rotunda, warm and aromatic with peppery and citrus notes.
They may all appear as rhizomes in Southeast Asian cooking, but the names are not interchangeable. When a recipe asks for kencur, choosing galangal or fingerroot changes the aromatic centre of the dish.
How to use sand ginger powder
Use ¼–½ teaspoon per dish. Fry it into a spice paste with other aromatics instead of stirring it straight into a finished liquid. Heat helps the powder join the paste rather than remaining a separate dusty note.
It pairs naturally with galangal, garlic and chilli in robust curries, marinades and Indonesian spice pastes. In a delicate dish, even a small excess can dominate.
How to recognise a lively batch
The powder should be pale beige and release an unmistakable camphor-like lift. If it smells only faintly of generic ginger, the more volatile aromatic character has faded.
Keep it tightly sealed, dry and protected from heat, steam and light. Measure with a clean dry spoon and close the package promptly.
FAQ
Sand Ginger or Kencur: What It Is and How It Differs from Galangal
Is sand ginger the same as kencur?
Yes. Sand ginger and kencur are names used for Kaempferia galanga.
Is sand ginger the same as galangal?
No. Sand ginger is Kaempferia galanga, while greater galangal is Alpinia galanga. Their aromas overlap in warmth but have different botanical identities and flavour profiles.
Is kencur the same as fingerroot?
No. Kencur is Kaempferia galanga; fingerroot is Boesenbergia rotunda. They are separate rhizomes used in different ways.
How much sand ginger powder should I use?
Begin with ¼ teaspoon and use no more than about ½ teaspoon for a dish until you know the strength of the batch.