Las Vegas has always been a challenging location for at-home chefs and foodies, with most major supermarkets unable to stock the variety of ingredients needed to prepare many dishes. Even main meat choices are limited. Almost all the limited choices for fish and seafood are frozen; lamb, veal, and duck are extremely limited.

"The limited ingredients in Las Vegas have always been challenging, especially for non-American cuisines such Thai," explained Alan Wong, general manager of Kung Fu Plaza. "Some restaurants have it easier, but most at-home chefs have to find substitutes and settle for never quite getting the food right — Thai especially."

Wong says even something that has become much more widely available in the United States — galangal — will usually require a trip to a specialty Asian market. People who try to substitute it are most likely to add more ginger. It's one of the worst mistakes someone can make with a Thai dish. There is no real substitute.

Why is galangal so different from ginger?

Although galangal looks like ginger root and is part of the ginger family, it has a peppery taste but not the peppery heat of raw ginger. Culinary experts define the taste as citrusy, piney, and with an earthy aroma. There are also two types that are used in Asia.

"The Thai people distinguish the two types as greater galangal or 'kha' and lesser galangal or 'kha ta daeng,'" said Wong. "In some ways it is an ingredient much like the chili pepper. It did not originate in Thailand, but Thai cuisine adopted it because of its ability to balance food, especially soups like Thai tom yum. It gets confusing for people in America because you have to know which galangal will work best with the recipe."

Galangal originated with Indonesian cuisine and medical treatments. The ingredient is said to be effective against some infections and has special carminative effects as a stimulant. In some Asian countries it was prescribed to cure colds. Traditional Chinese medicine still relies on its properties.

"Many ingredients used in Thai cooking are related to health," said Wong. "This, more than any other factor, is why Thai food became so widely regarded as healthy food. For centuries, various culinary disciplines in Thailand focused on eating healthy."

While ginger cannot substitute for galangal, using it is surprisingly similar. Depending on the dish, the most common ways to prepare the ingredient is to crush it or cut it into thin strips. Neither task is easy. Galangal is considerably harder than ginger.

"Many people are surprised how often galangal is used in Thai cooking," added Wong. "Many Thai curries include it, which may even account for why some people say good Thai food lifts you up as opposed to weighing you down like some Asian dishes."

Using galangal at home for cooking Thai dishes.

Wong says that while many Americans tend to purchase dried pieces (which are especially tough) or powdered when they can find it, fresh is always best. He says that since his parents first opened Kung Fu Plaza in Las Vegas, they have always avoided prepackaged mixes and powders unless absolutely necessary.

He said one-half inch fresh is equal to one teaspoon powdered. If you have to purchase a dry whole form, soak it in heated water.

Kung Fu Plaza was founded in 1973. It is the oldest and most authentic Thai restaurant in Las Vegas. It was established after the Wong family moved to the United States from Thailand. The Wong family goes to great lengths to preserve the tradition of Thai cuisine and only uses the freshest ingredients possible.