Have you ever seen this herb before? It does look like fingers growing out of a center piece and the reason why it is called Fingerroot in English. This herb is known as Temu Kunci in Indonesian and I have tasted ever since I can remember.
Fingerroot is popular as a medicinal and culinary herb in China and Southeast Asia. It has a strong and dominating flavour. Many people would think to classify this as a medical due that reason. The fingers and the central, globular part of the rhizome have different odour.
Temu Kunci is mostly used in Javanese cuisine, but I haven’t found any recipes from other regions of Indonesia using this herb. I surely will share with you two Javanese dishes that I ate for lunch while I was still young and lived in my parents’ house. If you wonder what those foods are, please do come back for my two next postings.
Meanwhile, you can look through other common names of this plant.
Botanical name: Boesenbergia rotunda (L.)
English: Chinese ginger, Chinese key, Lesser ginger
German: Chinesischer Ingwer, Fingerwurz
Indonesian: Temu kunci
Thai: Ka-aen, Wan-phraathit, Khingsai khingkaeng, Ka chai, Kra chai
Vietnamese: Bồng nga truật, Cú ngái
Source: Wikipedia and Gernot Katzer’s Spices Pages
An Indonesian born who lives on the Prairie land of Canada. Indonesia Eats is a memoir of her homeland. 
Indonesia Eats is written and photographed by Pepy Nasution; an Indonesian-born Winnipeg (Canada)-based food photographer.
These look very interesting to me. I have never seen them before. Looks like little hammers
I believe this temu kunci is used also in Malaysia as medicine
don't think I have seen these lovely picture
In Canada, it is sold fresh, frozen, dried and powder. Just look for a label with krachai or kachai.
Reminds me of ginseng. Any similarities?
Wow, these do look disturbingly similar to a human hand… I cant wait to see what you make with them!!
Lisa, the flavour is totally different with ginseng. This herb is still family of Zingiber aceae (ginger family).@The Cilantropist: I know it's really disturbing. Stt I'm trying to grow them now.
These look very interesting to me. I have never seen them before. Looks like little hammers
I believe this temu kunci is used also in Malaysia as medicine
don't think I have seen these lovely picture
In Canada, it is sold fresh, frozen, dried and powder. Just look for a label with krachai or kachai.
Reminds me of ginseng. Any similarities?
Wow, these do look disturbingly similar to a human hand… I cant wait to see what you make with them!!
Lisa, the flavour is totally different with ginseng. This herb is still family of Zingiber aceae (ginger family).
@The Cilantropist: I know it's really disturbing. Stt I'm trying to grow them now.
So new to me and I agree, looks like ginseng indeed
No, haven't seen any Fingerroot around my area. In fact, we hardly find any Indonesian restaurants here too. Too bad.
Interesting, I think I just learned this here, thanks.
So new to me and I agree, looks like ginseng indeed
No, haven't seen any Fingerroot around my area. In fact, we hardly find any Indonesian restaurants here too.
Too bad.
Interesting, I think I just learned this here, thanks.
How interesting, this is the first time I seeing this kind of herb too.
How interesting, this is the first time I seeing this kind of herb too.
This is totally something new to me
This is totally something new to me
I first saw this temu kunci on your blog. Later I saw it being used in Otak Otak in a Thai recipe. It's called Chinese Key and I have never tasted it before. I will check with the vendor in our market (Malaysia) to find out if it's available. I wonder how it tastes like. Like cekur?
No. It tastes quite distinct from cekur or I call it kencur.Here are 2 Indonesian recipes using fingerroot.http://indonesia-eats.blogspot.com/2010/08/dadar-jagung-indonesian-corn-fritters.htmlhttp://indonesia-eats.blogspot.com/2010/08/sayur-bening-bayam-merah-indonesian.html
I first saw this temu kunci on your blog. Later I saw it being used in Otak Otak in a Thai recipe. It's called Chinese Key and I have never tasted it before. I will check with the vendor in our market (Malaysia) to find out if it's available. I wonder how it tastes like. Like cekur?
No. It tastes quite distinct from cekur or I call it kencur.
Here are 2 Indonesian recipes using fingerroot.
http://indonesia-eats.blogspot.com/2010/08/dadar-jagung-indonesian-corn-fritters.html
http://indonesia-eats.blogspot.com/2010/08/sayur-bening-bayam-merah-indonesian.html