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Alpinia galanga
Family: Ginger (zingiberaceae)

Synonyms: -
Form of use: root, fresh, dried ground into powder or pickled.
Origin: Galangal is native to the tropics, specifically Indonesia. The plant is grown in Southeast Asia, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia. But people in Western countries are also familiar with it.
Aroma: the taste of galangal resembles that of ginger, but it is finer. It smells like citrus fruit and pine.
Use: Galangal is a basic element of Asian cuisine. It is suitable for spicy stews and curry dishes; it goes well with poultry and lamb as well as fish and seafood.
Buying/storing: Galangal is available in Asian specialty stores in western countries. Roots stay fresh for 2-3 weeks if stored in the vegetable compartment of a refrigerator wrapped in a freezer bag to protect from drying. Galangal powder stored in an airtight container in a cool, dark place lasts for months.
Properties: Galangal is a perennial plant. It has creeping cylindrical, mostly bent rhizomes (roots). The roots have characteristic, yellowish-white blossoms, which are arranged decoratively around the rhizomes. Pink or reddish side sprouts grow from rhizomes. After the roots are harvested, they are cut into 4-8 inch pieces one inch thick. The rhizome contains essential oils and resin (galangol, alpinol), which cause its very bitter taste.
Related Species: Galangal is closed related to lesser galangal (alpinia officinarum). The lesser, and spicier, galangal is probably native to southern China. Fresh galangal is not readily available.
Mythology: Galangal was regarded as a ‘magic means’ in the area of its origin for a long time. Substances contained in it were beliered to have euphoriant and aphrodisiac properties.
Medicinal Use: The healing power of galangal was celebrated outside of Asia. Doctor Mattioli wrote in the 16th century: “Galangal refreshes breath, promotes digestion and removes flatulence”. Paracelsus had a similar opinion. Hildegard von Bingen, a Benedictine abbess, describes galangal as a means of healing heart diseases: “Who suffers from heart problems and who is endangered by an attack of heart weakness should eat a sufficient amount of galangal immediately and his condition will improve.”
A concoction made from galangal powder helps to relieve itchy, irritated skin. Galangal is contained in the herbal medicine “”Schwedenbitter”. It is used to ease cramps in angina pectoris.

Tips for cooking:
Fresh galangal is peeled as ginger and cut, grated or thinly sliced. Fibrous galangal roots can be dried as well. For this purpose, peeled roots are cut into thin slices. Dunk dried galangal roots in a little water for 1-2 hours before using them. If no fresh galangal is available, you can substitute fresh ginger.

Important warning:
Galangal promotes menses and can cause earlier menses or miscarriage.