Galangal has a tighter skin, is lighter in color and can have pinkish portions too. Galangal tastes more like pepper than ginger even though both grow underground as root and the method used to cook them (in various dishes) is similar too. The galangal that originated in Indonesia is also called, lengkuas and has a sharp flavour and pine like aroma. This is more commonly found as fresh or dried (powder) form. The second type of galangal, has a pungent flavour and tastes like a combination of pepper and ginger. This galangal is believed to have its origin in southern parts of China. This type of Galangal is popular in Thailand and locally called krachaai. Galangal is commonly used as a seasoning ingredient in Thai food, many seafood and meat dishes. It is pounded into paste and mixed with other spices or in curries.