Alpinia galanga (L.) Willd.

Galangal (Alpinia galanga) is a herb with a pseudostem up to 2 meters tall of the Zingiberaceae family, native to Southeast Asia and now widely cultivated in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and India. Two varieties are known to communities: red-rhizomed galangal, more often used as medicine, and white-rhizomed galangal, used as a cooking spice. Traditionally, its rhizome is believed to address ringworm, rheumatism, and colds.

Grows ideally at elevations of 1–1,200 m above sea level, rainfall of 2,500–4,000 mm/year, air temperature of 25–29 °C, in areas with high sunlight intensity. Favors moist, loose, well-drained soil.

• Rhizome red or light yellow-white, jointed, glossy surface, fleshy, coarsely fibrous, with a distinctive aroma and spicy taste.
• Stem pseudostem, erect, round, a cluster of leaf sheaths, unbranched, reddish-green, smooth surface.
• Leaves simple, short-stalked, lanceolate with a pointed tip, pinnate venation, green, smooth margins.
• Flowers an erect raceme, stalked, calyx bell- or funnel-shaped, white to greenish-white. Corolla bud-shaped at the tip, oblong, white.
• Fruit a berry, round, hard, green (young fruit).
• Seeds small, oblong, and black.

Propagated through rhizome sections with shoot eyes. Select mature galangal (9-10 months old), let sprout (2-4 weeks) until shoots and roots grow, then plant in the growing medium.

Terpenoids, tannins, phenols, flavonoids (galangin, kaempferol, quercetin), saponins, carotol, cineole, fenchyl acetate, β-caryophyllene, methyl cinnamate, camphor.

Treats ringworm, diabetes, rheumatism, colds, diarrhea; lowers cholesterol; maintains body stamina; anticancer.

• Wash the rhizome thoroughly and drain.
• Slice the rhizome to a thickness of 0.2-0.5 cm. Arrange the slices on a tray and cover with a dark cloth.
• Sun-dry for ± 2 days.
• Once dry, pack in an airtight container.

Halas (Toba), Lengkueueh (Aceh), Halawas (Simalungun), Lakuwe (Nias), Laos (Java, Madura), Lengkueh (Minang), Laja (Sunda).