Plai: Cassumunar Ginger as a Topical Rub

Plai / Cassumunar Ginger — ไพล (phlai) — Zingiber montanum.

Plai — also called cassumunar ginger, pronounced ply — a wilder, camphor-scented cousin of kitchen ginger, and how Thai cooks use and grow its rhizome. Researchers studied plai as a topical rub. The finding applies to that skin preparation. The edible part is the rhizome. Kaeng Pa Rayong is a fiery, water-based jungle curry with cassumunar ginger pounded into the paste, served piping hot alongside fresh cabbage and cucumber to cool the palate. Yam No Mai is a Northern Thai salad of shredded bamboo shoots tossed with savory crab paste and slivered cassumunar ginger leaves, paired with sticky rice and crispy pork rinds. This is a long-term crop, so give it a season in the ground before you expect a harvest.

Kaeng Pa Rayong — แกงป่า (gaeng-pa)
Yam No Mai — ยำหน่อไม้ (yam-no-mai)

Research context

A plai compound is a topical anti-inflammatory shown to reduce pain — Complement. Ther. Med., 2017 (systematic review)

Sources

Source: Chongmelaxme B et al. (2017). Clinical effects of Zingiber cassumunar (Plai): a systematic review. Complement Ther Med 35:70-77. DOI:10.1016/j.ctim.2017.09.009

Narration transcript

Opening

Plai is a wilder cousin of the ginger in your kitchen — the same knobbly rhizome, but a sharper, almost camphor-like, medicinal smell the moment you slice it. Cassumunar ginger — ไพล, plai. You use the rhizome, pounded into the fiery paste of a southern jungle curry, kaeng pa, where its aroma cuts right through the chili heat.

Kaeng Pa Rayong (แกงป่า)

In kaeng pa, a fiery, water-based Rayong jungle curry, cassumunar ginger is pounded into the paste, served piping hot with fresh cabbage and cucumber to cool the palate.

Yam No Mai (ยำหน่อไม้)

Yam no mai is a Northern Thai salad that tosses shredded bamboo shoots with savory crab paste and slivered cassumunar ginger leaves, paired with sticky rice and crispy pork rinds.

Closing

Plai is a patient crop — plant the rhizome and give it a full season in the ground before you go digging for a harvest, the same way you'd grow its ginger relatives. Follow Longevity Biome, and LIKE this video for regular updates.

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