TORCH GINGER (Etlingera eliator)

Yeah! Yeah! The bunga kantan or the flower of the torch ginger in the Herb Garden that we planted a year ago has started to bear flowers. Next week, I will be making kerabu using this flower and the other herbs in the garden. For your information, the Torch Ginger or Torch Lily is used for cooking in many Southeast Asian households. Here in Malaysia, it is used as an ingredient in making Laksa, Kerabu and Tom Yam.

In traditional Malay medicine, consumption of the kantan flower is said to be able to help one maintain a youthful appearance. It is used to get rid of body odour and is often used for this purpose by ladies who have just given birth. What to do? One needs to get a few stalks of fresh bunga kantan, cut up the stalks into smaller pieces and then pound it into a paste. Then boil the paste in a pot of water and use the boiled water for bathing when it is cooled.

Reference: http://www.melur.com/