Zedoary
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Monocots
(unranked):	Commelinids
Order:	Zingiberales
Family:	Zingiberaceae
Genus:	Curcuma
Species:	C. zedoaria
Binomial name
Curcuma zedoaria (Christm.) Roscoe

Zedoary (Curcuma zedoaria, known as కచొరము 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to Europe by Arabs around the sixth century, but its use as a spice in the West today is extremely rare, having been replaced by ginger.

Characteristics[link]

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[link]

Food[link]

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 in pickling. In Thai cuisine it is used raw and cut in thin strips in certain Thai salads. It can also be served cut in to thin slices together with other herbs and vegetables with certain types of nam phrik (Thai chilli pastes).

Others[link]

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.

International naming[link]

• In Tamil, zedoary that is called karppurakkiccilikkilangku (Tamil: கர்ப்பூரக்குச்சிக்கிழங்கு).
• In Oriya, C. zedoaria is called Palua
• In Manipuri, C. zedoaria is called meitei yaingang.
• In Bengali, it is called aam aadaa (mango ginger)
• In Assamese, it is called katuri.
• In Indonesian, it is called Kunir Putih or Temu
• In Vietnam, it is called nghệ đen.
• In Thailand, it is called khamin khao.
• In Pakistan or in Urdu, it is called Kachoor.

External links[link]

Wikispecies has information related to: Curcuma zedoaria

Media related to Curcuma zedoaria at Wikimedia Commons

• Ars-Grin.gov, Curcuma zedoaria information from NPGS/GRIN
• CatalogueOfLife.org, Catalogue of Life: 2008 Annual Checklist : Curcuma zedoaria (Christm.) Roscoe
• Iptek.net.id, Situs ipteknet (Indonesian)
• NIH.go.jp, On curcuma zedoaria (Japanese: ウコンについて) (Japanese)

References[link]