A rhizome is a horizontal underground plant stem that sends out roots and shoots from nodes along its length, distinct from a true root or a tuber. Ginger, turmeric, galangal, and lotus root are the rhizomes most used in cooking, valued for flavors from ginger's warm bite to turmeric's earthy bitterness and galangal's citrusy sharpness, and are especially common in South and Southeast Asian cooking. They're typically grated, sliced, or ground into pastes for curries, marinades, and stir-fries; lotus root is also sliced and cooked as a vegetable in its own right.