In December, Lin wrote from Indonesia about the Hot beverages they drink there in the winter-time…

It’s rainy season here, cool and windy weather often comes to visit us. Even 24°C (75F) is considered cool enough here :D

December, January and February are perfect times for hot and tasty drinks. My favorites are Sekoteng, Ginger Wedang, and Bandrek with Milk. Here some Indonesian traditional beverages with links to recipes, hope you find them interesting.

Indonesian Hot and Tasty Traditional Drinks – For when it’s cold outside

(Aside from hot coffee and tea)

1. SEKOTENG

Children like it so much.

Sekoteng is a drink native to Central Java with a ginger flavor that’s served hot. Sekoteng is made of ingredients like peanuts, red tapioca pearls or pacar cina (sago pearls from tapioca) and chunks of bread added with palm sugar and ginger. It is usually sold by street vendors or humble traveling trolleys at night-time.

Recipe for Sekoteng

2. JAMU KUNYIT ASAM – Turmeric Tamarind Herbal Drink

A fresh, sweet and sour drink that’s made with turmeric, tamarind, ginger, water and sugar. It’s believed to be a good drink for young women, as it can soften the skin, eliminate body odor, accelerate menstruation, and dump excess fat. Kunyit Asam also can act as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatiory. It is best served hot, or cold with ice cubes. So refreshing!

Recipe for Jamu Kunyit Asam

3. JAMU BERAS KENCUR – Rice and Kaempferia Galangal Herbal Drink

This Jamu is a very common type of traditional Jamu (the word jamu refers to an Indonesian herbal drink that’s drunk for it’s beneficial properties). It’s made with ginger, tamarind, white rice turmeric and herbs. Usually parents encourage their children to drink this Jamu to increase their appetite and energy. For adults, Jamu Beras Kencur is good for maintaining stamina and immunity.

4. BANDREK

Bandrek is one of Indonesia’s traditional hot beverages. Originally it is from Sunda, West of Java, however now it has spread around Indonesia. Bandrek is also now available in sachets sold in supermarkets. It has a sweet and spicy taste as a result of ginger. Other ingredients include palm sugar, cinnamon, star anise, cloves, coriander seeds, cardamom pods, lemongrass, and sometimes black paper. Bandrek also can be added to milk and then it’s called “bandrek susu” or Bandrek Milk. It is usually consumed at night or when it’s rainy/cool weather.

Recipe for Bandrek

5. WEDANG JAHE – Ginger Wedang

Wedang in the Javanese language means drink that’s usually consumed in cold weather. Wedang Jahe almost has the same taste as the original bandrek, however it’s more simple and spicy as it’s only made of ginger water, palm sugar, pandanous leaf, a little bit salt and lemongrass.

Recipe for Wedang Jahe

There are various types wedang, namely wedang jahe, wedang ronde, wedang secang, wedang uwuh etc.

WEDANG RONDE – Glutinous Rice Balls Wedang

Adapted from the Chinese Tang Yuan beverage, wedang ronde is made by heating ginger water containing glutinous rice balls, called ronde. Usually served with roasted peanuts, kolang-kaling (atep palm seed), and pieces of bread.

Recipe for Wedang Jahe

WEDANG UWUH – Junk Wedang

Of the various types of wedang, wedang uwuh is a unique one considering its name. In Javanese, ‘uwuh’ means junk/organic trash. But don’t let this traditional beverage’s name scare you away. Wedang uwuh got its name because the organic foliage that is added to the beverage sometimes resembles scattered stuff. It combines ginger water, sappanwood, sugar cube and brown sugar. But what gives it its distinctive name is the combination of the leaves, flowers, stems and roots of cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg and lemongrass. Wedang uwuh is filled with antioxidants, and can also help lower cholesterol, refreshing the body, relieve fatigue, cure and prevent colds, and certainly it can warm the body.

Recipe for Wedang Uwuh

6. BAJIGUR

Bajigur is an Indonesia traditional hot beverage that’s originally from Sunda, West of Java. These drinks are usually served warm and a have similar taste and flavor to Bandrek or Wedang Jahe. Bajigur is made with palm sugar, coconut milk with a little bit of ginger, salt, cinnamon and vanilla.

Recipe for Bajigur

7. BIR PLETOK – Pop Beer

It’s main ingredients are ginger, cardamom, lemongrass, cinnamon, sappanwood, and sugar.

This drink is perfect to drink at night to keep warm. The name pletok also has unique origins. In the Dutch colonial period, the Japanese invaders were often seen drinking pop beer at checkpoints.

Betawi people make their own pop beer which they put into a bamboo tube and mix with ice cubes. When the drink in a bamboo tube is shaken, you hear a pletok-pletok (pop! pop!) sound. That’s why it has the name pletok.

Bir Pletok is believed to have various benefits, including relieving heat, prevent colds, and warming up the stomach.

Recipe for Bir Pletok

Many thanks to Lin for sharing info with us about hot Indonesian beverages!

Mama Lisa

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Images

Sekoteng Ginger Drink – By Midori – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0.

Bandrek – By Midori – Own work, CC BY 3.0.

Wedang Jahe – By Gunawan Kartapranata – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Bajigur – By Kembangraps – Own work, CC0.