Spa Therapies Of Indonesia
Jamu (Herbal Medicine):
Recipes for jamu preparation are passed down from generation to generation by oral tradition. Mothers frequently prepare jamu for their daughters as a gesture of their love. Traditionally, the mother of the bride presents the newly-married couple with a box containing several kinds of seeds, rhizomes, spices and dried cuttings of traditional medicinal plants. They are to be used on the first day of marriage, and more importantly, to be planted in the garden of the couple’s home. This symbolises the mother’s last effort to ensure her daughter’s good health. Jamu has been used since the 17th century, when princesses in the Central Javanese courts of Surakarta and Yogyakarta began experimenting with plants, herbs and spices to concoct beauty potions. Since then, the use of jamu has extended considerably – an entire beauty regime can be created just on jamu alone, from facial masks to hair conditioners to hand creams. No spa experience in Indonesia would be complete without jamu.
Below is a recipe for a jamu herbal drink from Jamu Traditional Spa at AlamKulKul Resort. This recipe makes 20 glasses and is best taken during the menstrual cycle.
Kunyit Asem:
Ingredients: 4 cups water; 3 limes; 3 1/2oz / 100g tamarind; 3 oz / 80g freshly grated turmeric; 2 tbsp honey; 1/2oz / 10g Palm sugar; 1/3 cup sugar; 1 Pandan Leaf (15 cm / 6in);
Bring the water to the boil. Extract juice from the limes, then boil it with the remaining ingredients for about 10 minutes. Strain the drink through a fine-mesh sieve and refrigerate before serving.
