Zedoary

Zedoary is Curcuma zedoaria, a relative of turmeric. The young rhizomes are eaten as a vegetable, while the dried rhizome is ground into a spice with a bitter, camphoraceous, ginger-like flavour. It seasons condiments and goes into flavourings and bitters, where its aromatic essential oils add complexity to liqueurs and herbal preparations. Also called shoti, it belongs to the ginger family that supplies so many of the world’s spices. It carries curcuminoid pigments like turmeric, though less of them, and the spice trade judges it on aroma intensity, proper drying, and freedom from mould.