Finger Root ‘Chinese Keys’ (Boesenbergia Rotunda)

Finger Root, also known as Chinese Keys and Chinese Ginger, is a herbaceous perennial plant native anywhere from South China to west Malesia. A member of the Zingiberaceae family along with its other Ginger relatives, the plant gets its name from its “fingerlike” rhizomes which grow from a central core.

Tubular white and pink summer flowers exude deep fragrance and take on a lovely ornamental quality. This rare culinary spice comes with a crunch. Its root is often cut into thin slices for garnish or a salad sprucer.  Finger Root is used in curries, pickles and other dishes for its spicy flavor that grans a slightly sweeter flavor than typical Ginger. In folk medicine, the roots are used for digestion and cough remedies. Leaves are also perfectly edible and make for a great spring addition to a saute or stir-fry!