บท 23: Make Jamu
Chapter 23
Upon seeing the not-so-big wine bottle, Alex had no choice but to set aside his complaints and place the wine in the kitchen. Exiting the kitchen, he was ready to resume his research when something suddenly came to mind.
"Ah, right! I have memories of those things!" Alex exclaimed with delight. He recalled the medicinal wine his brother had given him, and with that memory came another realization. He had a traditional medicinal recipe in his possession, one that originated from Indonesia - traditional jamu and other remedies.
(Jamu is a traditional Indonesian beverage that has been around since ancient times. It is made from natural ingredients such as herbs, roots, and leaves, and offers various health benefits. Each jamu has a unique composition of combined ingredients to address various health issues like indigestion, muscle aches, and common colds. Moreover, jamu is believed to have refreshing and stamina-boosting effects. It has become an integral part of Indonesian culture, sold in traditional markets, and renowned as a natural and safe herbal remedy. Jamu's existence has played a significant role in preserving Indonesia's cultural heritage and promoting the well-being of its people.)
Filled with excitement, Alex couldn't help but delve into those thoughts further. Determined to explore this newfound knowledge, he decided to head to the market in search of the necessary ingredients.
Seeing her husband rushing about, Lily asked curiously, "Where are you going this afternoon?"
"Ahh, I want to go to the market to buy something," Alex naturally explained.
Hearing this, Lily hesitated for a moment but eventually agreed with what her husband wanted. "Alright then, be careful, and don't come home too late."
"Ahh, well, is there anything you want to buy?" Alex asked, noticing Lily's hesitation.
Lily paused for a moment, contemplating, but then realized that her husband had already fulfilled all their needs in just a few days. Despite feeling slightly pleased, she couldn't help but be a little dissatisfied with Alex's extravagant attitude, though it had brought significant changes to their lives.
"Alright, there's nothing I want to buy. Just go carefully," Lily said.
"Okay, okay!" said Alex, bidding her farewell.
He then walked to his father's house. After a while, Alex finally arrived and met Rose.
"Rose, where are Mom and Dad?" Alex inquired.
"Ah, Mom and Dad went to talk business," Rose replied.
"Okay, tell them I borrowed the car," Alex requested.
"Yes, I will tell them when they come back."
"Then is there anything you want to buy while I'm out?" Alex asked.
"Ah no, I'm not ready to eat the things you sent."
"Okay, I'll go now."
"Be careful, brother."
With this, Alex drove very comfortably in his father's pickup truck.
When Alex was driving the pickup, he couldn't help but think about buying one for himself. He felt uncomfortable every time he used his father's car.
After a few moments of thinking, Alex then made a choice.
"Alright, let's take a look at the car when we have some free time."
Driving for a while, Alex finally arrived at a traditional market. Because it was late afternoon, not many stalls were open and doing transactions.
Alex then walked through the market to find the commodities he wanted. After a while, he finally found a spice shop that was still open for business.
"Excuse me, ma'am, do you have ginger?"
"Yes, how many pounds do you need?"
"And do you also have turmeric and aromatic ginger?"
"Yes, we have them too…"
"Then please give me some of each."
Alex then conducted the business with the seller in a natural and friendly manner.
After that, Alex got into the car feeling a bit disappointed. "Oh well, I'm no longer in Indonesia. Finding some of these very rare ingredients is quite challenging!" Alex was a little annoyed because the things he wanted were not available at all.
With this in mind, Alex decided to go to other places to search for each ingredient. "Alright, I hope I can find all the ingredients today!" he said hopefully.
The big man, full of tattoos, drove around several times before finally being able to return home excited, even though the sky was already dark. "Ahhh, luckily I was able to find every ingredient, even though it took a lot of effort!" Alex exclaimed with relief.
Then Alex started thinking about one thing. "If in the future, I need these items again, how will I find them? Do I have to go through all this trouble again? Not to mention, the price of these items is very expensive!"
Alex felt a little helpless because the cost and effort required to obtain the most common herbs were simply too much.
He was lost in thought for a few moments before finally having a realization. "Ah, right! I have a ring room. If I don't have something, why not just plant it myself? Besides being cost-effective, I can also ensure the quality and availability of the goods!"
With this, Alex felt a bit silly for not thinking of it earlier and became excited about the idea.
After that, Alex arrived home smoothly. He immediately went to the kitchen to prepare the jamu based on the recipe from the book. Making the turmeric tamarind herbal medicine didn't take long, as it was one of the simplest herbal concoctions.
Excitedly, Alex called out to his daughter, "Lilith, come here, Daddy has something for you!"
After a moment, both his daughter and their dog came running over at the same time.
Looking at the healthy dog, Alex couldn't help but praise the Dew of Life. Although the dog's injuries were not serious, the recovery effect was too obvious!
"What's the matter, Dad?" Lilith asked, still a little shy.
"Nothing, I just made some herbal medicine. I want you to try it," replied Alex, as he handed her a glass of dark yellow liquid.
Lilith looked a little excited. After all, everything her father made was always delicious, and she was eager to taste it.
As Lilith reached for the glass, Alex gently warned her, "Be careful, it's still hot!"
"Um, okay, Daddy," Lilith said hesitantly.
With curiosity, she scanned the object in her hands. She had never seen anything like it before. The shapes and colors were foreign to her, and even the smell was unfamiliar and strange to her nose.
For some reason, Lilith felt uncomfortable as she looked at the drink before her. She glanced at Alex, her father, who now looked very different from what she was used to. He used to be a gangster with tattoos, but now he was wearing peasant clothing, making him appear quite unusual to her.
Her father's eyes were full of hope as he looked at her, and it was a little overwhelming for Lilith. She tried to imagine how a gangster with tattoos could be so earnest and hopeful, and it seemed almost comical.
But seeing her father's expectant expression, Lilith couldn't bear to disappoint him. She decided to give it a try and took a sip of the warm herbal water.
And sure enough, when the warm liquid entered the girl's small mouth, a feeling of nausea immediately arose in her stomach due to the bitter taste of the drink.
It didn't stop there; Lilith's face contorted in discomfort as the sour taste emerged after the bitterness spread.
Seeing his daughter's slightly unbearable expression, Alex, the old father, couldn't help but feel a little heartbroken.
"Is the herbal medicine I made that bad?" asked Alex curiously. He had expected the taste to be decent, or at least not too unpleasant, considering he had added a bit of the Dew of Life.
After witnessing his daughter's intense reaction, Alex made a mental note to taste each concoction after adding the Dew of Life, so he wouldn't experiment blindly in the future.
Lilith, who had barely managed to swallow a gulp of the liquid, was now drenched in sweat. She felt a strange sensation in her throat as she struggled to keep the drink down. The taste that lingered in her mouth was surprisingly spicy!
Despite feeling uncomfortable, Lilith was determined not to spit it out. She didn't want to disappoint her father and was also a bit embarrassed and scared at the thought of his reaction if she were to vomit the concoction.
After a while, the liquid finally disappeared completely from Lilith's mouth and throat. The girl was left panting tiredly as if she had just run hundreds of kilometers.
"How is that alright?" asked Alex innocently.
Lilith, upon hearing this, felt the urge to complain to her father. But the taste of the concoction was so peculiar. Who in their right mind would deliberately make a drink taste spicy, sour, and bitter? It was quite bizarre!
"Dad, this is not good at all," Lilith honestly expressed her feelings, her voice growing quieter as she spoke, clearly indicating her fear.
Alex, upon hearing her response, let out a bitter smile. He then gently encouraged his daughter to finish the concoction in his hands.
"Alright, Lilith, try to finish the herbs that Father made. They are good for you."
Hearing this, Lilith immediately felt a shiver down her spine and hurriedly refused.
"Ahh no, Father, I don't want to."
"Come on, Lilith, this is good for your body. Besides, medicine always tastes bad," Alex tried to persuade her.
He was quite determined because he knew that the herbs and dew of life were indeed beneficial, and he wanted to improve his child's health. Just looking at her thin, weak body made him feel worried as a father.
Reluctantly, Lilith agreed, but she was still hesitant. The taste was so unpleasant that the strange smell of the concoction lingered in her mouth, making her feel quite uncomfortable.
"Father, I don't want to... I'm not even sick, so I don't need medicine!"
Alex, upon hearing this, smiled wryly. It seemed that his persuasion was not going to work.
Just as Alex was feeling desperate, Lily came over to where the father and son were standing.
"What's going on? Why are you two arguing?" Lily asked.
Seeing Lily, Alex's eyes immediately lit up, as if he had found a savior.
"I made herbal medicine for Lilith, but she doesn't want to drink it at all," Alex explained.
Lilith, feeling defensive, immediately protested, "That weird drink Daddy made is so awful!"
"It's not a weird drink, it's herbal medicine!" Alex corrected.
"Well, whatever it is, I don't like it!" Lilith declared, adamant in her dislike for the concoction.
Lily, who observed the interaction between father and daughter, felt a little amused. Curious about what her daughter had mentioned, she couldn't resist asking, "What did Lilith say? Let me see."
"This is herbal medicine, something I made myself, and it's very effective!" Alex handed the rejected concoction to Lily with a proud expression.
Lily, upon seeing her husband's proud look, didn't know how to respond. Meanwhile, Lilith felt a bit sorry for her mother.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk, Mom fell for Daddy's prank," Lilith teased playfully.
Upon holding the glass in her hand, Lily detected a peculiar smell. Despite that, she remained dismissive, believing her husband's claim that it was beneficial. Lily was not one to be afraid of bitterness or unpleasant tastes. After all, she was an adult and thought she could handle such things.
With that mindset, Lily casually gulped down the tamarind turmeric concoction. However, the moment the liquid entered her mouth, her facial expression underwent an abrupt one-hundred-and-eighty-degree shift.
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