Bay leaf

Laurus nobilis, dried. Its aroma is dominated by 1,8-cineole, often at 30 to 50 percent of the essential oil, with eugenol and terpineol behind it. That makes it useful outside European cooking. 1,8-cineole is the same compound that gives galangal its camphor and pine character, so bay leaf is a partial stand-in for galangal when none is available. Ginger alone is not: ginger is warm and sweet from zingiberene and carries almost no cineole. Use ginger for the pungency and bay leaf for the pine note. Green cardamom is the better source of the two if you have it. The compounds are not very volatile, so bay leaf suits a long wet cook and contributes little to a quick dish. Use it whole and remove it before serving.