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EveryMasala

Spices of Jakarta

Indonesia's capital, the old Dutch Batavia, a hub for spices and for the Indonesian bumbu and rempah pastes.

Jakarta

Traded and grown here

TurmericGalangalNutmegClove

Best time: May to September, in the drier season.

Jakarta stands on the north coast of Java. As Batavia it was the headquarters of the Dutch East India Company, which gathered spices from across the archipelago. Today it is a city of markets where bumbu, the Indonesian spice pastes, are sold fresh.

Bundaran Hotel Indonesia dari Halte Transjakarta Bundaran HI Astra pada Maret 2025
Photo: Medelam, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Spices and trade

Market stalls sell turmeric, ginger, galangal, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaf, candlenut, coriander, clove, nutmeg and cinnamon. Pastes are ground on a stone mortar, and bumbu is the base of dishes such as rendang, soto and gulai.

The place and its people

Jakarta holds Betawi, Javanese, Sundanese, Minangkabau, Chinese and Arab communities. Jamu, the traditional herbal tonics sold by street vendors, uses turmeric, ginger and tamarind.

Visiting

Old Batavia and Pasar Baru show the colonial heritage, and wet markets are best at dawn.

A trail idea for Jakarta

  1. Kota Tua Walk the old Dutch town.
  2. A traditional market Look at fresh rempah.
  3. A jamu seller Try a herbal drink.
  4. A Betawi meal Eat soto Betawi.
About this page

Written by the EveryMasala desk with AI assistance. Background: "Jakarta" on Wikipedia. Opening hours, markets and tours change; check locally before travelling. If something is wrong, tell us.

PartSeedBarkRootFlowerFruitChilliLeafResinBulbStigmaBlendPasteSeasoning
FlavourHot and fieryWarm and sweet-spicedSweet and mellowEarthy and deepCitrus and brightSharp and pungentSmokyFloral and perfumedBitterAnise and liquoriceSour and tartSavoury and umamiNumbing and tinglingHerbal and green
MealBreakfastLunchDinnerSupperSnacks and tea timeDrinksDesserts and sweetsStreet foodPickles and preservesFeasts and banquets

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