Galangal, ‘the spice of Life’: History, flavour chemistry, and culinary uses

Like many spices, galangal has a long history in global cuisine, likely originating in Java, Indonesia. Known as galanga, greater galangal, Siamese ginger (English; Kha in Thai), or Java galangal, the spice has a range of culinary, medicinal, and functional uses. Galangal helps to provide a pungent, fruity note to cuisine and has been suggested to help to mask off-notes in shellfish and meat dishes. While nowadays perhaps most closely associated with Thai cuisine, mention of galingale can be found in European monastic records dating back more than a thousand years. At the same time, however, it is unclear whether such early references describe greater galangal ( Alpinia galanga ), lesser galangal ( Alpinia officinarum Hance, Alpinia calcarata Rosc.), or perhaps even galingale ( Cyperus longus) , a fragrant and possibly native (British) plant. Nevertheless, by the later Middle Ages, a spice described as galangal (or galingale) was being imported to Europe by Arab and Venetian traders, appearing as an ingredient in spiced wine and Pokerounce (a Medieval cinnamon toast). Subsequently, however, galangal/galingale essentially disappears from western cookbooks. The pungent principal of galangal, 1'-acetoxychavicol acetate (galangal acetate), activates the TRPA1 channel, delivering a short-lasting pungent sensation and fruity aroma; it is also of interest as an ingredient to replace alcohol in low-to-no alcohol spirits.