Wedang Jahe

Wedang Jahe is very popular in Indonesia. Wedang in Javanese means “beverages” while Jahe in Bahasa Indonesia means “ginger”. It’s type of tea with a strong spicy taste from ginger combined with other spices the added palm sugar or granulated cane sugar.

In Indonesia where we have only 2 seasons, dry and wet (rainy) season, wedang jahe is especially popular when the rainy season comes because it warms the body and believed to have a remedy of expelling a cold.

As in Slovenia,  during the winter is when so many people having cold, sore throat and coughing. I often prepare this tea at home when one feels going to get cold. The main ingredient is fresh ginger, then you can add other spices such as cloves, cinnamon, some people like to add fresh kencur or lemongrass. You can also add Pandan leaves for additional flavour. But you can omit if you don’t have it. My family recipe is simple.

Ingredients

100 g fresh ginger root

1 stick cinnamon

5-6 cloves

palm sugar as desired

500 ml water

Directions

1. Peeled the ginger, washed then crushed

2. In a large pot, combine all ingredients (except sugar) and bring to a boil in simmer heat, for about  15 minutes. The longer you simmer, the stronger the ginger tea will be.

3. Serve and add palm sugar as desired.