Bir Pletok

It's a beer. It's alcohol free...

Hi, hello...everyone!

It's me...oh, how happy I am to be back to this blog again. I really truly deeply madly miss my blog and all of you...

Actually I've planned and tried to comeback to this blog after my hiatus earlier than today. I am so sorry, I never mean to take a rest for such a long time like this. But you know what, for some times ago, accidentally I could not sign in this blog. I didn't know why, I remember clearly my password. And I think I always type it correctly. But whenever I hit the sign in button, it said that my password was wrong. I kept trying again the next days. And, today, it works! Finally, after some trial and failure, I can sign in with the very same password! Can you believe that? Ah, I hope it will never happen again.

By the way, the idfb challenge for this month is kreasi dapur bersama sajian sedap. Of course, I don't want to miss it. Sajian sedap website alongside with tabloid Saji and Sedap magazine are my favourite resources in coking and baking. I've tried so many of their recipes and most of them are simple and taste really good, with such easy and clear steps that make the ordinary person like me can cook look-like and feel-like a pro.  

Today, for this challenge, I come with a beer from Betawi called bir pletok. A beer, really? Not of course. It's a herbal drink actually, made by boiling herbs and spices. Then why people call it a beer? Well, I once read somewhere that this drink first came out around the Dutch colonial era. At that time, Betawi people wanted to drink like the meneer but without being drunk. Then they boiled ginger and other spices, poured it in the bamboo, added some ice blocks and shook it. It is said that the activity of shaking the drink made the sound ... pletok...pletok.... And the drink came out frothy, exactly the same as a beer. 

Unfortunately, the recipe for bir pletok in sajian sedap webside is  not well written, some ingredients are not clearly mentioned, like only 5 ... 3 ... 1/4 ... What are they? Luckily I have a Sedap magazine that cover the same recipe so that I can track those missing ingredients. 5... is 5 gr secang woods (wood that can produce a natural red colour), 3 ... is 3 pandan leaves, and 1/4 ... is for nutmeg. 

If we follow the recipe, the colour of this drink will be brown. But I want it to be red. So, I added much more kayu secang (secang wood) in it until I get the red colour I like. Such a pretty colour, right? How is the taste? Mmmmm.... hot, spicy, fragrant, and leave a warm feeling in our throat, tummy and heart .... I like it. I will definitely make it again someday.

Now, let 's have a glass of warm bir pletok... cheers...

Bir Pletok
by Sedap Magazine


Ingredients:

1.5 lt water

100 gr ginger, grilled on fire, thinly sliced

150 gr sugar

1/4 tsp salt

50 gr palm sugar, grated

4 cm cinnamon

2 lemongrass, bruised

5 cloves

5 gr kayu secang (add more to get the red colour, up to 20 gr)

5 keffir lime leaves

3 pandan leaves, torn

1/4 nutmeg, bruised

Method:

Boil all ingredients together. 

Simmer on a very low heat for 30 minutes or better more

until the water turns red and fragrant.

Strain. Serve warm 
or cool it in the fridge 
and whiz in the blender until frothy

Enjoy!