Jamu, Indonesian traditional herbal drink, is one of the most prominent alternative medicines in Indonesia. It originated some 1,300 years ago in the Mataram Kingdom in Central Java, and it is heavily influenced by Ayurveda, a system of Hindu traditional medicine.
Many Jamu come in bright orange in color, while others are green or even black, depending on the ingredients. A Jamu blend may be prepared from any combination of herbs used, giving it hundreds of variations. With centuries of practices, specific kind of Jamu can be made for specific purpose, from common health issue like masuk anginย to serious illness like diabetes and cholesterol.
Until today, most traditional Jamu drinks are made with traditional techniques by smashing the ingredients and pestle-pummeling, with the recipes passed down generations upon generations. Generally, Jamu ingredients are roots and spices like turmeric, ginger, or tamarind that you can easily find in traditional market as bumbu dapur. However, there are also specific ingredients used in certain types of Jamu such as noni (mengkudu), cabe puyang (long pepper), temulawak (curcuma), and many more. These ingredients are excellent sources of enzymes, coupled with strong anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and antiseptic properties.
Although itโs very easy to find fresh or packed Jamu in Indonesia, making it from scratch can be so exciting. Here we share to you the easy Jamu recipes that you can try at home:
Jamu Kunyit Asam (Turmeric and Tamarind Jamu)
This Jamu is especially good for young ladies to facilitate menstruation and cool the body.
Ingredients:
- 100 gram tamarind
- 100 gram turmeric
- 20 gram ginger
- 1 liter spring water
- 100 gram raw sugar (optional)
- 100 gram palm sugar (optional)
- 1tbsp lime/lemon juice (optional)
Instruction:
- Finely grate or dice turmeric, tamarind, and ginger roots.
- Blend the grated turmeric, tamarind, ginger roots and spring water using electric blender.
- Pour the mixture into a pot and simmer for 10 minutes over low heat.
- Add in sugars at this stage.
- Remove Jamu from the heat, strain and press using a clean musln cloth.
- Pour into bottles or glass jars, and drink immediately. You can add lemon or lime juice for an added kick.
This Jamu drink can be refrigerated for up to one week. The sugar in this recipe is only added to taste, so you can skip it or substitute it with honey for a healthier version.
Jamu Kudu Laos (Noni and Galangal Jamu)
The main ingredient of this Jamu is Mengkudu (also known as Noni or Indian mulberry). Jamu Kudu Laos helps to lower blood pressure, improve blood circulation, increase appetite and warms the body.
Ingredients:
- 100 gram ripe Noni fruit
- 20 gram Galangal (lengkuas)
- 100 gram tamarind
- A pinch of black pepper
- A clove of garlic
- Kedawung seeds (tree bean)
- Half a lemon
- Fermented cassava or Tapai Singkong (optional)
- 100 gram brown sugar (optional, can be substituted with raw honey)
- 1 liter spring water
- A pinch of salt
Instruction:
- Finely grate the galangal and tamarind.
- Use mortar and pestle to pummel the Noni fruit, garlic clove and kedawung seeds into a fine paste consistency.
- Add water to a pot and add the grated galangal, tamarind, and Noni paste. Simmer on a low heat.
- Add in sugar, lemon juice, fermented cassava, pepper and salt. Bring the liquid to boil or until desired concentration.
- Strain and press the Jamu using a muslin cloth.
- Pour the potion into a glass or bottle and drink immediately.
Jamu Beras Kencur
This Jamu is a very common type of traditional Jamu. 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.
Ingredients:
- 200 grams rice
- 25 gram ginger
- 30 gram Kencur (Kaempferia galangal)
- 250 gram sugar (optional)
- 1tbsp lime juice
- 25 gram tamarind
- 2 pandan leaves
- 20 gram turmeric
- A pinch of salt
- 500 ml spring water.
Instruction:
- Soak rice in clean water for 3 hours.
- Blend ginger, sugar, tamarind, turmeric, kencur, and soaked rice using electric blender until soft.
- Pour the mixture into a pot. Add water, and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Remove from the heat, and strain the potion using a clean muslin cloth. Add lime juice, mix well.
- Jamu Beras Kencur is ready. You can serve it warm or chilled.
Jamu Cabe Puyang
Source: gulalives.co
Jamu Cabe Puyang is good to alleviate the lower back pain, sore muscles, cramps, and improve the production of red blood cells.
Ingredients:
- 300 gram Temulawak (curcuma)
- 8 pieces cabe puyang (long pepper)
- 300 gram Temu Ireng (black curcuma)
- 400 gram turmeric
- 1 piece Noni
- 1 tbsp Fennel leaf (daun adas)
- ยผ teaspoon pepper
- 1 tbsp Kedawung seeds
- 1 ripe tamarind
- 1 tbsp Temu Kunci (finger root)
- 1 liter spring water
- Palm sugar to taste
Instructions:
- Crush all the ingredients (except sugar) using electric blender.
- Bring spring water to boil, add in crushed ingredients. Simmer for 10 minutes, or until desired consistency.
- Remove from the heat, and strain Jamu using clean cloth. Add palm sugar (optional), mix well.
- Jamu Cabe Puyang is ready to serve.
Jamu Sehat Wanita Pahitan
Source: hello-pet.com
This Jamu is good for young ladies and women to heal yeast infection, relieve menstrual pain, and alleviate cold and fever. As the name implies, this Jamu is very bitter!
Ingredients:
- 300 gram dried Sambiloto (bitter leaf or green chiretta)
- 2 liters spring water.
Instructions:
- Boil water and dried Sambiloto leaves until the water is reduced. Remove from the heat
- Strain Jamu using clean cloth. Jamu Sehat Wanita Pahitan is ready to serve.
