KENCUR

Kencur or commonly known in the scientific world as Kaempferia galanga L. In Indonesia is known in various regional names such as ceuku (Aceh), tekur (Gayo), kaciwer (Karo), cakue (Minangkabau), Cekur (Lampung), kencur (Java), cikur (Sunda), Kencor (Madura), brick (Manado), watan (Minahsa), (Gorontalo), cakuru (Makassar), Ceku (Bugis), niche (Bali), cekur (Sasak), sokus (Roti), Sukung (Timor), suha (Seram), assuli (Ambon), Onegai (Buru), Bataka (Ternate, Tidore), ukap (Irian).

This plant is expected to come from Tropical Asia region. Most people suspect that the origin kencur is Indo-Malaysian region. But other literature sources to make sure that kencur plant origin is from India and subsequently cultivated by the countries in various parts of southeast Asia, southern China, to Australia.

In Indonesia alone, kencur first present in the Moluccas, because at that moment spices in Indonesia is based in Maluku. Kencur cropping center is still concentrated in Java, especially Central Java and East Java. One of the central areas of greatest kencur today is Boyolali (Central Java), which in 1992 contained kencur planting area covering 703 hectares with a production of 1,301 tons of wet logs.

Kencur (Kaempferia galanga L.) is widely used as raw material for traditional medicine (herbal medicine), fitofarmaka, cosmetics, food and beverage flavoring, spices, sauces and mixed materials, cigarette in the cigarette industry. Empirically kencur used as an appetite enhancer, a bacterial infection, cough, dysentery, tonic, expectorant, colds, stomach aches. Essential oil in the rhizome kencur sinnamat containing ethyl and methyl p-methoxycinnamate are widely used in the cosmetics industry and is used as an asthma medication and anti-fungal. The many benefits of kencur enable the development carried out intensive cultivation adjusted to the desired end product. Production, quality and content of active ingredients in the rhizome kencur determined by the varieties used, the way the growth of aquaculture and the environment.

Kencur main product is the rhizome which can be used as a medicinal plant material (botanicals) Traditionally, industrial raw material for beverages and spices. Priangan (West Java) kencur leaves are commonly used as raw salad. 

Kencur plants use as a food ingredient, among others:

-    Young leaves (shoots) are used for raw vegetables or make urap.

-    Rhizome kencur used for flavoring food (spices), for example in the manufacture pecel, ointment, crackers, gado-gado and others.

-    Rhizome kencur mixture used to give flavor to the rice.

-    Rhizome kencur used as ingredient in the confectionery industry.

Usage As Spices

Kencur gives a fresh aroma and distinctive in sauce, soybean sauce, ointment, pecel, lodeh and bobor vegetable.

Usage: Peel kencur, puree together with other spices. Kencur following young fresh leaves are eaten as a salad. As a substitute for fresh can be used kencur powder is packaged in a bottle.