BANDREK SPICE DRINK

Bandrek hot beverage

frOm sunda with spices

Sunda lies in the western part of Java island, Indonesia. The Sundanese ethnic have long been drinking Bandrek, a hot beverage rich in herbs and spices to warm up the body in cold weathers. It tastes good too. Now, the bandrek is also served chilled.

ingredients- serves 4

• 1000 ml water
• 200 grams of palm sugar/ unrefined concentrated cane or date juice/  raspadura/ gula jawa
• 120 grams of roasted ginger slices
• 2 cm or1 inch crushed lemon grass
• 5 cm cinnamon stick
• Half a pandan leaf(screwpine/pandanus)- shred a little and knot it up
• 5 grains of cloves
• 1 star anise
• 1 / 4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tsp instant coffee if you like

the way to boil and brew

Boil water together with all the above except palm sugar.

Once boiled, add palm sugar and simmer for 10 minutes.

I feel it is best to taste and add what is lacking, you may want a little more sugar, or perhaps you prefer extra ginger- continue to taste, simmer and taste until the versatile bandrek seems perfect for your taste buds.

I have reduced the pandan leaf to half piece only-was two pieces, but that’s me, I don’t want it’s fragrant to be too strong, otherwise I feel like I am drinking a dessert..and that is odd and alien to my senses.

Strain and Serve hot.

Add milk if you wish to further tone down the spicy taste but I won’t. I am lactose intolerant. To me it already has a delicious flavor.