JAMU, Indonesian Traditional Herbal Medicine

Jamu (formerly Djamu) is traditional medicine in Indonesia. It is predominantly herbal medicine made from natural materials, such as parts of plants such as roots, leaves and bark, and fruit. There is also material from the bodies of animals, such as bile of goat or alligator used.

In many large cities jamu herbal medicine is sold on the street by hawkers carry a refreshing drink, usually bitter but sweetened with honey. Herbal medicine is also produced in factories by large companies such as Air Mancur, Nyonya Meneer or Djamu Djago, and sold at various drug stores in sachet packaging. Packaged dried jamu should be dissolved in hot water first before drinking. Nowadays herbal medicine is also sold in the form of tablets, caplets and capsules.

Jamu might available in powder, tablets, pills, or liquid. Some Jamu taste sweet, sour, hot, or bitter. So, if you want to try Jamu, you had better start with the easiest ones, such as:

1. Beras Kencur. Made from rice, sand gingers and brown sugar, to ease cramps, fatigue, and cough. Since it tastes sweet, many Indonesian mothers even start to give their Children Beras Kencur from early ages to raise their children’s appetite.
2. Gula Asem. A fresh mixing of brown sugar and tamarind’s sweet and sour taste, which is rich in vitamin C.
3. Temulawak. It was made from curcuma root, to cure liver disease with a quite friendly taste.
4. Kunyit Asam. Made from tamarind and turmeric, which claimed good for skin care and cancer sore. How about the taste? Not so bad.

Then, if you feel like you can not take Jamu’s taste, don’t give up any yet. As an alternative to Jamu, you can also try several Indonesian traditional beverages below, which taste pretty great:

Ronde. Made from ginger, powdered glutinous rice balls, peanut, salt, and sugar.

Bajigur. Made from coffee, brown sugar, salt, coconut milk, sugar palm fruits, and vanillin.

Sekoteng. Made from ginger, peanut, milk, sugar, salt, sometimes also mixed with ronde, and jellies.

Bandrek. Made from ginger, brown sugar, coconut, pandanus leaf, clove buds, salt, and coffee.

Serbat. Made from ginger, tamarind, star anise, cardamon, and sugar.

Cendol/Dawet. Made from rice flour, sago palm flour, pandanus leaf, and coconut milk.