on an island journey.
hen in Bali slather on the sunblock, then reach aut for cool glass of the Royals its origins can be traced Borobodurwas built has transcended become one of the most identifiable
slip on the shades jamu. This once drinkof back to the time the ranks and status and icons of Indonesia
In Bali, where the sun, surf and
sea mix with senseof joie
de vivre, even the jamu drink has taken life of its own. OF course, you can still catch women in traditional dresses peddlingthe herbal tonic every moming in various villages, But evenif you missed themon the streets, the jamudrinkhas entered the fabric of contemporary society that even modern spas and cafes now offer them. Jamu is traditional tonic made from local herbs, roots and spices. They may also include barks and leaves, often creating
concoction that is bitter and perhaps explains why the
younger generation tends Indonesians, the drink is
to shy away from them. For many cure-all elixir
Drinking it everyday is how they ensure they get the necessary intake of essential vitamins and minerals to
keep themselves healthy. medicinal properties can
Its also bel eved that jamu’s heal various ailments, boost
one’s beauty, strength and stamina
times, mothers ed to hand down the secre of these healing recipes to their daughters. Those who were skilled at prepa ing jamu were also consulted for their recipes. and know-how. Shared recipes allow for others to create their own jamu, but no two jamus are ever alike in taste and flavour.
For effective jamu to work, ingredients need to be sourced fresh Homemade jamu brews are prized for that they do not contain favourite jamu maker and often return to the same seller for
whose methods they trust
It’s not difficult to get taste of jamu drink in Bali, The
adventurous can go into the various villages and look for jamu gendong. These are the women who bring bottles of jamu ina cloth carrier, selling it door to door. Your other best bet are the spas and cafes, At the Spa Village Tembok Bali Resort, guests can try the resort’s kitchen-brewed jamu drinks served every afternoon by staff that make their rounds at the resort. The jamu kunyit asam for women is made fresh everyday, its turmeric main ingredient prized for its antibacterial properties. Tamarind juice is added to the mix and the brew is sweetened with palm sugar, all locally sourced. The overall benefit is for cleansingthe body and stomach.
The jamu beras kencur for men includes pulverised
rice and finger root and is thought to help strengthen and invigorate the body. Guests can class to learn how to replicate the jamu back home At Alila Manggis, guests using the organic garden for the cooking class ate also taught the various herbs and spices before preparing theirown jamu drinks. At sister property Alila Ubud, jamu is the choice of beverage after every spa treatment to reinvigorate the senses and complement the wholistic therapy. Similarly at Samabe Bali Suites Villas, the jamu is incorporated into the everyday menu at its Te.Ja Co restaurant. Healthy jamu drinks are served alongside herbal teas and coffees to give guests taste of local Balinese culture. The name “Te JaCo actually stands for “Tea, Jamu and Coffee’
Beyond jamu as drink, they are also used
externally. Local farmers feed used jamu pulp to reared animals so they too, can benefit from the herbs. At home, the practice of using jamu herbs turned into oils and pastes in everything includes and stress reduction. Samabe Bali Suites Villas, translates some of the local use at their Galangal Spa in the body treatments and massage oils.
Of course, jamu now can also be found sachets. It may require some experimentation to find the right manufacturer that respects the integrity of homemade jamu-making, But so long as you’ve mortar and pestle and chopping board at hand, trip to the local market for your spices and herbs will ensure your jamu is available fresh and ready to drink anytime of the day, Royal Brunel Airlines will resume 4x weekly flights to Denpasar on 26 July. 2014.
Source: MUHIBAH, the Royal Brunei Airlines in-flight magazine, 2014 Jul-Aug, pages 43-49. Text recovered from the scanned page by OCR and lightly corrected; spelling may differ from the printed edition.
