JAMU IS A TRADITIONAL Indonesian herbal drink that’s said to promote inner and outer health and beauty — and we believe it; the ingredients just don’t lie. The simple recipe, which includes turmeric and ginger root, honey and sometimes tamarind, has been passed down from generation to generation for over 1,300 years and boasts some major health benefits, earning itself a local reputation as a ‘cure-all’ elixir.

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Every morning, I’ll have traditional jamu drink served in a small wooden cup. Normally, Jamu concoction can be rather bitter. However, at Shereton they’ve adjusted the taste to suit foreigners palate. The herbal tonic balanced with a tinge of zing from asam and sweetness from palm sugar. Sometimes, I was told, orange juice is added for a more pleasant flavour.

INGREDIENTS
Ginger roots (halia) x 100 g
Fresh turmeric (kunyit) x  100 g
Lemongrass (serai)  x 5 stalks
Cinnamon stick (kayu manis) x 1
Cloves (bunga cengkih) x 5
Tamarind slices (asam keping) x 4 g
Palm sugar x 100 g – 150 g

She’s old, the wrinkles written into brown furrows over her eyes say as much, but the weight of the bamboo basket she lets down has me second guessing. She glances up after I stop her and asks me what’s wrong. ‘Bum knee,’ I say in my best Indonesian. She takes a quick look and then the magic starts. Out of her basket in a flurry come the various unlabelled bottles, nameless jars, multi-coloured powders and a single glass for me. One drop of this, three of that, a dollop of the rust-coloured powder, some of the chocolate-looking stuff and before I know it, there’s a glass of what looks like mud-water sitting in front of me. She doesn’t hesitate in shuffling the bottles back into the big basket, but as soon as I pick up the glass to take a swig, she’s all smiles, and now I know why. The taste is bitter — it burns, it stings, it’s overpowering — and I nearly choke on the unexpected power of the stuff until the smoothness of the ginger tea finds its way into my throat. She responds with only a chuckle. The stuff? Jamu, Indonesia’s infallible elixir.

An employee of a cafe selling traditional Indonesian herbal medicine known as 'jamu' prepares a jamu drink for a customer in Jakarta. (Picture Courtesy: AFP)

https://www.deccanchronicle.com/151127/lifestyle-food/article/indonesian-elixirs-get-modern-twist

Despite the arrival of hip cafes seen as key in driving jamu's modernization, there remains a hardcore of Indonesians who prefer the old ways -- tonics served at street-side stalls, or in unpretentious, inexpensive local shops. "Why should I pay five times more for something that's essentially the same? I'd rather save my money because more money means more jamu to enjoy," said school handyman Agustinus Martanbaim, 38, who buys his herbal drinks from local vendors.

http://thechalkboardmag.com/jamu-turmeric-tonic-bali

http://jewelpie.com/recipe-jamu-drink-for-general-health/
http://www.ghmhotels.com/ghmjourneys/jamu-the-infallible-elixir/