by Margaret S Garrett - Published 6 months ago

Millennia-Old Herbal Tonic: Recipe & Benefits

Jamu is the Indonesian archipelago's herbal medicine tradition, a cornerstone of healing and healthy living.

Emerging from a millennium of experience using this tropical land's abundant botanicals for healing, and enriched with knowledge from throughout the globe, jamu is a story of community, wellness, and self-care.

The term "jamu" specifically refers to natural herbal tonics that people take to maintain good health, prevent illness, and treat ailments. Most Indonesians believe that one should drink jamu daily to stay healthy.

And if illness does strike, healers can draw on generations of knowledge and experience to fashion jamu recipes that alleviate symptoms and help the body to fight overall unwellness.

But the idea of jamu encompasses more than healing potions. The jamu tradition states that robust good health is best achieved and maintained by addressing a person's needs as a whole.

This includes what you put in yourself, what you put on yourself, how you listen to yourself, and how you seek support and comfort through close connection to a larger community.

Hundreds of jamu brands, each with a distinct blend of active ingredients and flavoring agents, reflect the cultural diversity of the Indonesian archipelago. Below, find the recipe for this well-being jamu.

Training in Functional Nutrition

Kunir Asem (The Classic)

Yields 2 servings

Ingredients List

1 tablespoon chopped fresh turmeric or ½ teaspoon powdered turmeric
1 teaspoon tamarind fruit paste
2 cups water
1 slice lime
1 pinch salt
Coconut sugar, agave, or honey to taste
½ teaspoon chopped ginger or ¼ teaspoon powdered ginger (optional)

Instructions

Combine turmeric, tamarind, and water (plus ginger, if desired) in a blender.
Blend until smooth and bring to a simmer for 10 minutes.
Strain the jamu liquid through a fine-mesh sieve, discarding the pulp. Pour the liquid into glasses.
Sweeten to taste.
Add a squeeze of lime and a pinch of salt to balance the flavors.
Enjoy warm or cold.

Excerpted with permission from JAMU LIFESTYLE: THE INDONESIAN HERBAL WELLNESS TRADITION by Metta Murdaya