This homemade wedang jahe (Indonesian ginger tea) is warming, immune-boosting, and filled with flavor. All you need is ginger, brown sugar, pandan leaves, and water.
Rich in flavor and just barely sweet and warm-spiced… it’s hard for this not to just feel like the drink form of your favorite sweater. Even with just a handful of ingredients, the flavor of wedang jahe is incredibly comforting and I could drink this daily and not get tired of them.
In my case: the minimal effort involved + the incredibly cozy result = worth it.
What is wedang jahe
Similar to wedang kacang (Taiwanese sweet peanut soup), wedang jahe is literally translated as a ginger drink. Wedang is a type of drink or tea, and jahe means ginger in Indonesian. Ginger tea is a common drink if you go to Asia, such as China, Japan, Malaysia, or India; and people still drink it even on hot days since it can be served hot (warm) or cold. Either way, it tastes so good.
The ingredients
Surprisingly, this ginger tea doesn’t consist of tea leaves at all. You will need four ingredients to make this ginger tea. Here’s what you need:
- Ginger to give a warmth texture
- Pandan leaves to add subtle and floral smell
- Palm sugar for sweetness. Be sure to chop of shave it; or use granulated palm sugar
- Water
How to make wedang jahe
- Combine the sliced ginger, knotted pandan leaves, shaved or chopped palm sugar, and water in a saucepan over low heat until it boils
- Now you pour it and you win the cozy-day-at-home olympics
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The benefits of ginger tea
It is believed it can help strengthen our immunity and reduce stress among other benefits from drinking this tea since ginger may fight germs and illness. In general, it is safe to drink this tea daily; however, you should avoid consuming more than 5 g of it per day.
Choosing ginger for wedang (ginger tea)
Choose fresh ginger roots with firm skin and flesh. The flesh will show a bright yellow, have a spicy aroma, and very spicy taste.
Brown sugar vs. palm sugar
Most Indonesian recipes use palm sugar which is significantly sweeter than brown sugar; however, they both have similar flavor. So, you can replace palm sugar with brown sugar. Please note that palm sugar has a dark brown color and will add a deeper dark color to this tea.
Variations
- There are lots of variations of wedang. You can add lemongrass to the mix for a soothing, refreshing tea
- You can also add lemon slices for a crisp, sharp flavor
- Some people like adding honey or condensed milk instead of palm sugar. Be sure to add condensed milk when you’re about to drink it
- Adding more fruits such as passion fruit, lime
- Or adding glutinous rice balls
Storing
The beauty of this wedang drink is you can enjoy it hot or cold. I like to make it thick and store it in the fridge, so, I just need to add water when I’m ready to drink it. Wedang jahe can be stored in the fridge for up to one month.
This wedang jahe has been my constant companion especially in the fall – from an early morning to a chilly Saturday night on the couch. Hence, bring on the cozy!
Wedang Jahe (Indonesian Ginger Tea)
Ingredients
- 2 inches fresh ginger sliced into pieces no wider than ¼-inch
- 100 gram palm sugar shaved or chopped
- 2 pandan leaves knotted
- 500 ml water
Instructions
- Combine the sliced ginger, knnotted pandan leaves, shaved or chopped palm sugar, and water in a saucepan over low heat until it boils. Enjoy
Kathy Hester says
I love ginger tea and this one was the best ever!
Lynn Polito says
Ginger tea is so comforting and delicious! This is so good!
Jennifer says
This is my new go-to comfort tea! So soothing!
Mandy Applegate says
Where has ginger tea been all my life?
Sachi says
This is the perfect warming tea to pick me up on this chilly Fall day!
laura says
The drink form of your favorite sweater is EXACTLY the right description!!
Farrukh Aziz says
Perfect refresher for the fam. Highly recommend for the winter season! Love the ginger flavor in it!