Jamu Sinom: Tamarind Leaf Tonic

Ingredients

• 1 standard proportion young tamarind leaves (sinom), fresh, picked from tender new growth
• 1 standard proportion turmeric, fresh rhizome
• 1 standard proportion palm sugar, shaved or roughly broken
• 1 standard proportion tamarind fruit, pulp extracted

Method

1. 1
   Gather the young tamarind leaves (sinom). They should be pale green and pliable — this tenderness is the marker of leaves suitable for the tonic.
2. 2
   Combine the sinom, turmeric, tamarind pulp, and palm sugar with water and simmer until the liquid takes on a deep amber-gold colour and carries the characteristic gentle, astringent bitterness of the leaves on the nose.
3. 3
   Taste the liquid: this is where the tonic lives or dies. The balance must sit precisely between the slight astringent bitterness of the sinom, the sour depth of the tamarind fruit, and the rounding sweetness of the palm sugar — no single element may dominate.
4. 4
   Strain the tonic and allow it to cool. The finished liquid should be clear amber, neither cloudy nor pale.