Jamu!

Turmeric root – more correctly known as jiang huang - arrived on the scene in the West in recent years and fast became one of the most trends in the health food movement.

There’s great scientific evidence that supports the positive waves made over turmeric consumption. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center has reported on lab studies that demonstrated turmeric’s anti-inflammatory and anticancer activities and other beneficial biological activities. Curcuminoid – the dominant substance in turmeric that’s known to promote healing – ramps up the body’s production of detoxifying enzymes, neutralizes free radicals (which can cause DNA damage), and prevents and soothes inflammation.

Turmeric, when applied directly to cancer cells in the laboratory, completely stops the replication of those cells. There are allopathic and naturopathic physicians and turmeric users who have reported on turmeric’s other benefits, including: relief from arthritis; improved mental function; breaks and cures from depression; and regulating menstruation.

For about two years now, I’ve been adding fresh turmeric root to morning smoothies. I go with the fresh root instead of powdered turmeric. There’s a lot of evidence that many if not most of turmeric’s potency is lost in the processing of the root into powder. If I had ever doubted that, my misgivings disappeared the first time I tried the fresh root. There’s a huge difference between food that’s clearly and obviously alive and vital, and food that’s been rendered nutritionally barren through processing.

Turmeric may be relatively new to the West, but the origins of its use reach back to ancient times in the Asias. In Indonesia, fresh turmeric root is the main component in a traditional Indonesian herbal medicine called jamu. When recently learned about jamu, with turmeric as its starring ingredient, I knew I would eventually make some. And this past weekend, I did.

Let me just say first off, that raw, fresh turmeric root is an acquired taste. Add turmeric to yummy Asian food and simmer it, and it’s a warming, spicy dish of deliciousness. Grind it up raw in a cold drink, and it’s bitter and strong. I think of turmeric as medicine, and medicine just doesn’t taste great. But after a few turmeric lattes, golden milks, or banana smoothies with turmeric, it starts to grow on you. Or at least you learn to tolerate it.

I decided that simple is best with jamu, and that I’d stick with the oldest and most traditional version of this potent drink. You basic jamu is just four ingredients: fresh, organic turmeric root; fresh, organic ginger root; organic black pepper; and fresh, organic lemon juice.

Many jamu makers simmer jamu over medium heat for a few minutes. I went with raw jamu. I’ve seen enough evidence of the effects of cooking on the potency of food. Too much – minerals, enzymes, and vitamins - is lost. 

I also added a little raw honey as a sweetener. But that’s it. I cleaned and chopped the roots, and added them to the Vita-Mix with freshly squeezed lemon juice and black pepper, and reduced it to a liquid. Then I strained it through clean cheesecloth in a colander, added a little distilled water, bottled it, and put it in the fridge.

My husband and I tried our first taste of it last night. Its strength pretty much blew our heads off. But after the first sip, it went down easier. He added a little more distilled water to his glass. I drank mine straight. Then, we waited to see if we would have any adverse reactions. Nothing bad happened, so this morning, we each had second small glasses of jamu. I think all is well.

It’s a pretty large bottle I made, and fresh, vital food loses potency fast, so part of this first bottle of jamu might be a loss. I’m going to drink as much as is reasonable within the next three days, and compost the rest. Next, time, I’ll make half the amount.

I’m excited about jamu for several reasons: it’s a powerful, raw (if you don’t cook it) source of healthful curcuminoids that deliver a lot of goodness in small quantities; it’s pretty inexpensive to make; it takes just minutes to make it; and I just have a feeling that it’s good for everything – the skin, the mood, the eyes, and the occasional Bali belly. 

Its flavor can change with the addition of traditional Indonesian jamu variants like tamarind, galangal, cardamom, nutmeg, or palm sugar. In fact, Indonesian variants of jamu – with names like beras kencur (galangal, tamarind, ginger, and rice), kunyit assam (galangal, curcuma, turmeric, tamarind), jamu sinom (tamarind, nutmeg, cardamom, palm sugar), and cabe puyang (Javanese chili and bitter ginger) -  all taste differently and offer different benefits. Maybe later I’ll try some of these permutations, but for now, I’m good with the classic jamu.

One caveat: if you're interested in trying jamu, I would scrupulously avoid the new ‘convenient’, market-ready instant jamu drinks, or jamu ‘teas’ the contain some of the traditional compounds found in jamu. These are processed products that have been on the shelf too long to be viable. If you’re going for the health benefits of jamu, the jamu must be raw, organic, and very fresh. Follow the example of the ancestors.

Barbie xo