Galangal plant

Alpinia galangal in commonly known as Greater galangal. Its root stocks are tuberous and slightly aromatic. The leaves are simple,glabrousandgreen. The leaf blades are linear-elliptical with andentire margin. Flowers greenish white, in dense flowered, 30 cm Panicles; bracts ovate-lanceolate. Calyx tubular, irregularly 3-toothed.

The herb is mostly propagated by rhizomes, grows best in shaded areas away from direct sunlight, it also requires well drained soils to grow in and is usually propagated by dividing and replanting the rhizomes during the spring.

The major active compounds found in A. galanga are 1,8-cineol, α-fenchyl acetate, β-farnesene, β-bisabolene, α-bergamotene, β-pinene and 1’-acetoxychavicol acetate. 1, 8-cineole known as marker compound for Alpinia spp and was reported as most abundant compound in most of the studies on A. galangal.

The root has been used in Europe as a spice for over a thousand years, having probably been introduced by Arabian or Greek physicians, but it has now largely gone out of use except in Russia and India. The rhizomes have a spicy aroma and a pungent taste somewhere between pepper and ginger, it is often cooked with lemon grass. The rhizomes are used fresh and dried to flavor curries, soup, meat and fish.

Galangal plant