Bandrek (Hot Spiced Drink from Indonesia

By stancec44

Indonesian bandrek doesn't contain tea, but it features many of the same ingredients, such as cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Simmer a pot of this on the stove, and your house will smell amazing. (It's also an excellent sore throat soother!)

Bandrek comes from the Sundanese people of Java. Made from warm spices simmered in hot water and traditionally served in cold weather, bandrek tickles the tongue, warms the belly, and purportedly wards off colds.

In addition to ginger, cinnamon sticks, and cloves, it is usually made with lemongrass, which gives it an herbaceous, citrusy aroma, and/or pandan leaves, which we highly recommend adding if you can get your hands on them. After simmering for about 10 minutes, the liquid is sweetened with sugar, strained, and sometimes mixed with milk or coconut milk.

Bandrek strikes me as a very personal thing, and I'd wager that every household has its own recipe, so feel free to fiddle with amounts according to your own taste. One thing bandrek should not be is timid - the spices should sing, and the liquid should be fiery enough to at least tickle the throat. If the use of chile is a turnoff, increase the amount of ginger.

I prefer my bandrek without milk. I could see the beverage iced - not authentic, but probably delicious. Were I a more ambitious cook I'd explore bandrek as an ice cream flavor.

Ingredients

• 1/2 liter (about 2 1/4 cups) water
• 3 six-inch cinammon sticks
• 5 star anise
• 10 whole cloves
• 10 coriander seeds
• 7 cardamom pods, broken open
• 1 stalk lemongrass, bottom 5 inches only, peeled and trimmed and pounded to release the frangrance
• 3 thick slices of ginger (old, not young), pounded a bit to release the juices
• Optional: fresh chilies, 1 if very hot more if less so
• 2 about 2 tablespoons of Indonesian palm sugar (substitute 1/2 dark brown sugar and 1/2 maple sugar)

Preparation

Step 1

1) Place all ingredients except sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, lower heat, and simmer, partly covered, about 10 minutes. Add the sugar and simmer a few more minutes. Taste for sweetness and add more sugar if necessary.

2) Strain through a fine mesh strainer or a piece of cheesecloth. Add milk to taste, if desired.