Galangal Alpinia officinarum
Effect: Higher doses include hallucination. It can give a dreamlike state combined with euphoric feelings. Eat the contents of one bag and chew well. Some mix this herb with rice, to soften its taste.
Background: 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. During the middle Ages in Europe, it was known as an aphrodisiac and is still sold from herbal suppliers as a sexual stimulant. In Thailand, it is still used as a remedy for stomach problems, as well as flavouring. Closely resembling ginger, it is used in Russia for flavouring vinegar and the liqueur 'nastoika'. It is a favourite spice in Lithuania and Estonia. Tartars prepare a kind of tea that contains it, and it is used by brewers. The reddish-brown powder is used as snuff, and in India the oil is valued in perfumery. Galangal has a long history of traditional medicinal use. The rhizome is chewed and ingested. The active ingredient is an unidentified substance in the volatile oils of the rhizome. This compressed oily juice is called maraba.
Contents: Bag with 30 grams
