ISO help/advice with equivalent quantities for powdered ingredients???

[santamonica811]

No idea if this is in the correct forum. I'll be doing some traveling abroad, and I will be living for about 6 months in a part of the world where I can't get fresh ingredients for some of my favorite dishes. Most relevantly: lemongrass and galangal. So, my "workaround" will be to bring some powdered versions, and cook with that. Won't be as good as fresh, obviously. But at least I can make some Thai and Indian dishes. My question: How many teaspoons (Tablespoons?) of powdered lemongrass = one stalk of fresh lemongrass? Same question for 1 inch of fresh galangal root vs powdered. Of course I'm only asking for approximations...as the strength/potency and size of fresh ingredients varies so much. But I'm surprised that I've been unable to find even any starting reference points online. Any ideas?

 

[dcSaute]

one source:

Ratio Chart for Converting Fresh Herbs to Dried Herbs

How To Convert Fresh Herb to Dried Herbs to Ground Home cooks must know how to convert fresh herbs to dried or ground versions. This makes every dish more

www.reluctantgourmet.com

 

[dragnlaw]

Wow, nice dcSaute!
@santamonica811 I would either try with the galangal using the ginger ratio in the chart suggested by dcSaute or just plain use ginger. Yes, I know they are not the same. It has been suggested to use ginger with a little touch of lemon to give it a closer taste to the galangal. Or double up on your lemongrass powder to add to the galangal?

Don't know where you are headed to but be sure to check in advance that your "powders" will be allowed and not mistaken for illegal drugs!

 

[santamonica811]

one source:

Ratio Chart for Converting Fresh Herbs to Dried Herbs

How To Convert Fresh Herb to Dried Herbs to Ground Home cooks must know how to convert fresh herbs to dried or ground versions. This makes every dish more

www.reluctantgourmet.com

Thanks for the link. I'm glad the chart included lemongrass...a pity it did not include galangal. It was interesting to note on the chart that the ratios were all over the map, it wasn't like the powdered version was always 1/2 of the chopped/diced amount, or anything like that. It seemed like the amount really varied, depending on the particular spice or herb.

I'll be in sub-Saharan Africa for about half the time, and in Mongolia for the other half. My thought is--if my powdered spices are taken at the border--to have Amazon directly ship me sealed jars of the powdered spices, which I've been told will get through Customs Inspections in both countries. We shall see, of course, what in reality actually turns out to happen.

 

[dragnlaw]

Good Luck! and let us know how it works out for you! The drying and the border! LOL
Keep in touch about your cooking adventures around the world. You will have a captive audience here!