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| Curcuma zedoaria (Christm.) Roscoe |
Zedoary (Curcuma zedoaria, known as kacōramu in Telugu) is the name for a perennial herb and member of the genus Curcuma Linn., family Zingiberaceae. The plant is native to India and Indonesia. It was introduced to Europe by Arabs around the sixth century, but its use as a spice in the West today is extremely rare, having been replaced by ginger.
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Characteristics
Zedoary is a rhizome that grows in tropical and subtropical wet forest regions. The fragrant plant bears yellow flowers with red and green bracts and the underground stem section is large and tuberous with numerous branches. The leaf shoots of the zedoary are long and can reach 1 metre (3 feet) in height.
Uses
Food
The edible root of zedoary has a white interior and a fragrance reminiscent of mango; however, its flavour is more similar to ginger, except with a very bitter aftertaste. In Indonesia it is ground to a powder and added to curry pastes, whereas in India it tends to be used fresh or pickling.
Medicinal uses
Zedoary is also used in some traditional eastern medicines where it is reputed to be an aid to digestion, a relief for colic and an agent for purifying the blood.
Others
The essential oil produced from the dried roots of Curcuma zedoaria is used in perfumery and soap fabrication, as well as an ingredient in bitter tonics.
External links
- Curcuma zedoaria information from NPGS/GRIN
- Catalogue of Life : 2008 Annual Checklist : Curcuma zedoaria (Christm.) Roscoe
- Situs ipteknet (Indonesian)
- On curcuma zedoaria(ウコンについて)(Japanese)
Wikipedia content modification information:
- This page was last modified on 18 November 2008, at 05:44.
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