Food The edible
rhizome 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 make white
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 into thin slices together with other herbs and vegetables with certain types of
nam phrik (Thai chilli pastes). It is also used in India to flavour
dals and chutneys.
Houseplant The showy
C. zedoaria is occasionally used as a
houseplant.
In traditional medicine The plant is used
traditionally to treat
inflammation, pain, and a variety of skin ailments including wounds, as well as menstrual irregularities and ulcers.
Others The essential oil produced from the dried
rhizomes of
Curcuma zedoaria is used in perfumery and soap fabrication, as well as an ingredient in bitter tonics. The
curcuminoid 1,7-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)-1,4,6-heptatrien-3-one, and the sesquiterpenes and epiprocurcumenol can be found in
C. zedoaria. ==See also==