Galanga

Hindi Name: Kulinjan, Punnagchampa

Botanical name: Alpinia galanga

Family name: Zingiberaceae

Commercial part: The rhizome or underground stem

Originally form South East Asia and Southern China; galanga is now cultivated in Indochina, Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, Vietnam and Indonesia. Greater galangale is mostly referred to as galangale or galanga and is a very popular spice in whole South East Asia and especially typical for the cuisine of Thailand.

Indigenous to India, galanga grows perfectly along the eastern Himalayas and in South- West India. The ginger like rootstock is built from cylindrical sub units whose pale-reddish surface is characteristically cross-striped by reddish-brown, small rings. The interior has about the same color as the skin and is hard and woody in texture. Although galanga leaves and seeds are aromatic but are not used very often for flavoring purposes.

Galanga has been a valued spice since the early Middle- ages. Used fresh or dried, an exotic flavor with distinct aroma and taste is experienced. In almost all-Thai food has as its flavoring ingredient, the galanga. Dried and powdered galanga is less fresh but more spicy and is also sold in form of slices that are to be reconstituted in warm water for proper flavoring.

For different countries, galanga is used distinctly. In most South East Asian countries dried galanga is employed only in the absence of fresh galanga whereas in Indonesia slices or powder of the fresh or dried rhizome are used frequently.

India exports several varieties of galanga in different forms. However, its volatile oil attracts more international interest because of its high medicinal value.