Thick and rich kopi tubruk is the most popular coffee in Indonesia, especially in Java. It involves simple preparation in which boiling or hot water is combined with fine or medium ground coffee. The combination is mixed until it is well incorporated, and it is then left to sit for a couple of minutes until the coffee grounds settle at the bottom of the cup.
Although sugar is optional, most people choose to sweeten the coffee by mixing sugar with coffee grounds, before the water is added. This method of preparation is believed to have been introduced by the traders from the Middle East since both the method and the coffee are quite similar to Turkish (Greek) coffee.
Soda gembira is a traditional Indonesian non-alcoholic beverage that is especially popular with children of all ages. It is made with a combination of three ingredients – coco pandan syrup, condensed milk, and carbonated water. The proportions of ingredients may vary, but soda gembira typically has a bright pink color after all ingredients have been combined.
This sweet and creamy drink is most often consumed on hot summer days.
Indonesian kopi luwak is often cited as the most expensive coffee in the world. It is made from coffee beans that are digested and excreted by the civet (luwak)—a catlike mammal that is native to Southeast Asia—before they are washed, ground, and roasted.
It is believed that when the coffee beans pass through the animal’s digestive tract, they lose their astringency, which makes the coffee softer, smoother, and less bitter. The coffee was allegedly discovered in the 19th century during the Dutch colonial rule when the local farmers were forbidden to harvest coffee for their personal use.
Wedang jahe is a refreshing Indonesian beverage believed to have soothing and calming properties. The drink is a simple combination of crushed or diced ginger, palm sugar, and water. The ingredients are slowly simmered until the sugar melts, and the water is thoroughly infused.
Optionally palm sugar can be replaced with cane sugar or honey, and the drink can be flavored with pandan leaves or spices. Wedang jahe is usually associated with Java, and it can be enjoyed as a warm or chilled drink.
Bandrek (pronounced bun-drag) is a sweet and spicy hot drink native to the Sundanese people of West Java, Indonesia. Sundanese people that inhabit the colder parts of the country drink it to keep themselves warm during cold weather.
The main ingredients to make bandarek are jahe (ginger) essence, gula merah (palm sugar) and kayu manis (cinnamon) with the optional star anise, cloves, and coriander seeds to name just a few. Depending on one’s taste, sweet condensed milk can also be added as well as pieces of young coconut flesh or durian fruit.
Bajigur is a hot drink, native to the Sundanese people of West Java, Indonesia. Full of sweet and spicy flavors of ginger, aren sugar, and coconut milk, this beverage is most commonly paired with traditional snacks such as steamed bananas, boiled peanuts or boiled sweet potato.
Bajigur is sold through mobile vendor carts equipped with stoves that keep the drink hot and is considered best suited for drinking during cold nights, rainy days or when spending time in cool highlands.
Native to Central Java, sekoteng is a ginger-based hot drink made with simple ginger syrup and condensed milk. It is topped with sagoo pearls, palm fruit, coconut, diced bread, and peanuts. The drink is sweet in flavor with different textures created by the various toppings.
Sekoteng is most commonly sold in the evening by cart vendors; it is said that drinking it in the evening will keep the body warm and help with sleep.
Kopi joss is a specialty coffee that originated in Yogyakarta. What makes this coffee unique is the addition of burning charcoal that is added directly in a cup of brewed coffee. The addition of charcoal is believed to have health benefits, and many also find that burning charcoal neutralizes acidity and provides a subtle caramel flavor to the brew.
The drink allegedly first appeared in the 1960s as an invention of a local street vendor. Nowadays, several coffee vendors, located mostly in tourist areas of Yogyakarta, prepare and sell this specialty. Interestingly, the name joss is believed to stem from the onomatopoeic sound that occurs when the burning charcoal is dropped in the glass.
Jamu is a traditional herbal medicine from Indonesia, made from natural ingredients, including roots, bark, flowers, seeds, leaves, and fruits.
These ingredients are used to create various types of herbal drinks that are believed to have healing properties and are used to treat a wide range of ailments, as well as to maintain good health and well-being. The practice of making and consuming jamu dates back hundreds of years and is deeply rooted in Indonesian culture, particularly in Java.
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Teh talua is an Indonesian tea-based drink that originated in West Sumatra. Colloquially called egg tea, it consists of brewed black tea, sugar, and egg yolks. It can be made with chicken or duck eggs. The drink is prepared by mixing egg yolks with sugar until the mix is creamy and frothy.
The yolks are then added to freshly brewed tea. Optionally, it can include freshly squeezed lime juice. It is believed that teh talua improves stamina and is generally considered a healthy beverage.
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