Sten Ivan is bringing Jamu, a wellness drink from Indonesia, to tastebuds in Walthamstow – directly from his kitchen
Being from Indonesia, Sten grew up around Jamu drinkers – except for his family as his mother’s dislike of ginger, a key ingredient in jamu, meant the drink wasn’t drunk at home in Borneo.
The drink originated during the times of the Mataram Kingdom more than 1,300 years ago, and after being drunk by royals, it was introduced to wider Indonesian society by healers, and its recipes were passed down by word of mouth.
Sten didn’t start drinking jamu until he was living in Bali in 2017 where he came across a jamu gendong (jamu seller) who sold him “Kunyit Asam”, the classic jamu made from turmeric, ginger and herbs including lemongrass. He lived in Bali until October 2021 when he moved to London and found it difficult to find similar drinks other than turmeric and ginger shots, which he found to be too strong for his tastes.
Missing his daily jamu drinking routine and needing a way to reduce the stress of the commute to work and hectic London life, Sten decided to act by starting Sten’s Jamu from his Walthamstow kitchen.
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Currently, Sten is selling the “paradise” jamu, his interpretation of Indonesia’s “Kunyit Asam” jamu, and he plans for this to be the first in a long line of jamu’s with differing ingredients that he will make. The main ingredients are turmeric root, ginger, lime juice, a sprinkling of palm sugar, and distilled water.
Sten says that the combination of turmeric and ginger can bring numerous health benefits such as reducing inflammation, helping with cholesterol, and easing anxiety.
Sten says: “I want to make [jamu] from ingredients that are easy and accessible” and he hopes that people will incorporate it into their morning routines too, finding five minutes to meditate, reflect, and prepare for the day ahead while “feeling the health benefits” of the popular Indonesian drink.
You can find out more about Sten’s Jamu and order a bottle here
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