Galangal is related to ginger, but has a somewhat different flavour. It is difficult to chop up, so is either added whole to the pot, or in powdered form. Galangal is popular in
Thai cooking.
In far East Asia, the Galangal plant is widely used. It's similar in flavour to ginger, though a bit more woody and not to everyone's taste. It's commonly used in places such as Vietnam.