flipJamu Kunyit Asam
Jamu Kunyit Asam
Why this dish? Agnez Mo watches her diet to support her intense stage physical activity. Jamu, a herbal elixir that Indonesian women have drunk for centuries for energy and beauty, is the natural companion of an artist mindful of her fitness — a Javanese grandmother's remedy still alive in Jakarta.
Golden drink made from fresh turmeric and tamarind, at once earthy, tangy and slightly bitter, sweetened with a touch of palm sugar. Invigorating, anti-inflammatory, served chilled or warm.
When you're going through rehearsals and concerts back to back, your body is your instrument, so you have to take care of it. Jamu is what the women back home have always drunk — fresh pounded turmeric, tamarind, a bit of palm sugar. It's bitter, it's tangy, it wakes you up from the inside. The vendors used to walk around with their bottles, the jamu gendong on their backs. Today I make it for myself before going on stage: no magic, just the wisdom of my grandmothers.
- •Fresh turmeric — several rhizomes (base, color and bitterness)
- •Tamarind pulp — a good spoonful (sourness)
- •Palm sugar (gula jawa) — to taste (sweetness)
- •Spring water — enough to dilute (liquid)
- •Pinch of salt — a pinch (balance)
Jamu Kunyit Asam
Golden drink made from fresh turmeric and tamarind, at once earthy, tangy and slightly bitter, sweetened with a touch of palm sugar. Invigorating, anti-inflammatory, served chilled or warm.
Why this dish? Agnez Mo watches her diet to support her intense stage physical activity. Jamu, a herbal elixir that Indonesian women have drunk for centuries for energy and beauty, is the natural companion of an artist mindful of her fitness — a Javanese grandmother's remedy still alive in Jakarta.
When you're going through rehearsals and concerts back to back, your body is your instrument, so you have to take care of it. Jamu is what the women back home have always drunk — fresh pounded turmeric, tamarind, a bit of palm sugar. It's bitter, it's tangy, it wakes you up from the inside. The vendors used to walk around with their bottles, the jamu gendong on their backs. Today I make it for myself before going on stage: no magic, just the wisdom of my grandmothers.
Ingredients (period version)
- Fresh turmeric — several rhizomes (base, color and bitterness)
- Tamarind pulp — a good spoonful (sourness)
- Palm sugar (gula jawa) — to taste (sweetness)
- Spring water — enough to dilute (liquid)
- Pinch of salt — a pinch (balance)
Ingredients
- Fresh turmeric — 100 g (or 2 tbsp powder) (base)
- Tamarind pulp — 2 tbsp (sourness)
- Palm sugar or brown sugar — 3 tbsp (sweetness)
- Water — 1 liter (liquid)
- Salt — 1 pinch (enhancer)
- Lime juice (optional) — 1/2 (brightness)
Method
- Grate or pound fresh turmeric (wear gloves, it stains).
- Bring water to a simmer with turmeric, tamarind and palm sugar.
- Let infuse 15-20 min over low heat, add pinch of salt.
- Strain finely through a cheesecloth.
- Taste, adjust sugar/tamarind, add a squeeze of lime.
- Serve chilled over ice or slightly warm.
How it was made : Jamu dates back at least to the Mataram empire in Java (8th-10th century): bas-reliefs at Borobudur temple already depict medicinal plant preparations. Passed from mother to daughter, it was sold door-to-door by jamu gendong, women carrying their basket of bottles in a sarong tied on their backs.
The contemporary twist : Served as a small golden shot in a glass vial, 'wellness shot' style — jamu, the Indonesian ancestor of the detox juices trendy in Los Angeles studios.
Agnez Mo · Charactorium
