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

Galangal

Alpinia galanga (L) Willd is commonly known as galangal, greater galangal, Java galangal and Siamese ginger.  This tropical species is native to Southeast Asia, probably southern China. It is cultivated in Indochina, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia and the spice made from the rhizome is very popular in Southeast Asia.

Genus Alpinina belonging to Zingiberaceae is a genus of perennial herbs.  Fresh galangal has a distinctive flowery fragrance, dried galangal has a more spicy and sweetish-aromatic flavor that is similar to cinnamon.

Galangal is found in wild/semi-wild and cultivated area. It comes up well in tropical climate with an annual rainfall ranging from 1500-3000 cm. Plant requires sunny or moderately shady locations.

It has a beautiful ginger scent and helps to tenderize meat especially when it is slow cooked in meat recipe.

Galangal is a ’de-fisher’ and so is frequently used in fish and shellfish recipes, often with garlic, ginger, chili pepper, lemon, and/or tamarind.

In Malaysia, galangal fruits are sometimes substituted for cardamom and the flowers are occasionally consumed in salads. The fresh stems lends a wonderful aroma to dishes such as curries and chutneys and like ginger, galangal goes well with garlic.
Galangal