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Bandrek Sundanese Herbal Spiced Tea Recipe

ByLumina Liu October 27, 2025

Green tea felt too delicate, coffee too aggressive, and regular black tea just seemed… boring.

That’s when I remembered the small bag of spices my friend Sari had pressed into my hands months earlier, along with a hastily scribbled recipe for something called bandrek.

“Trust me,” she’d said with that knowing smile, “this will change how you think about warm drinks.”

I’ll be honest — I was skeptical.

How different could spiced tea really be?

But as I stood there, teeth practically chattering, I figured I had nothing to lose.

I pulled out the crumpled paper and started gathering ingredients: ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and a few other aromatics I’d never heard of but somehow had lurking in my spice drawer.

Within minutes, my kitchen was filled with the most incredible fragrance — warm, complex, and utterly comforting in a way that made me understand why people write poetry about food.

That first sip of bandrek was a revelation.

It wasn’t just warm; it was warming, if that makes sense.

The ginger provided gentle heat that spread through my chest, while the cinnamon and cloves added layers of sweetness and spice that seemed to unfold with each taste.

The lemongrass brought this bright, citrusy note that kept everything from feeling too heavy, and somehow the whole thing just worked together like a perfectly orchestrated symphony.

I stood there in my pajamas, cradling that mug, and realized I’d just discovered my new winter obsession.

Authentic Indonesian Bandrek: The Ultimate Spiced Tea Recipe

Bandrek isn’t just another spiced tea — it’s a traditional Indonesian beverage that comes from the Sundanese people of West Java, and it represents centuries of understanding how to combine herbs and spices for both flavor and wellness.

Unlike the chai we’re familiar with in Western coffee shops, bandrek has its own distinct personality, built around the aromatic trinity of ginger, lemongrass, and pandan leaves that creates something entirely unique.

What sets this Bandrek (Sundanese herbal spiced tea) recipe apart is its use of palm sugar, which brings a deep, caramel-like sweetness that regular sugar simply can’t match.

The pandan leaves — those bright green, fragrant leaves that are practically magic in Southeast Asian cooking — add an almost vanilla-like aroma that’s impossible to describe but absolutely essential to the authentic experience.

And the way everything simmers together slowly, allowing each spice to release its oils and meld with the others, creates a complexity that builds with every sip.

The beauty of bandrek lies in its simplicity and accessibility.

You don’t need exotic equipment or hard-to-find ingredients (well, except maybe the pandan leaves, but I’ll give you workarounds).

It’s the kind of recipe that feels both ancient and immediate, connecting you to generations of people who understood that sometimes the best medicine comes in the form of a perfectly spiced, steaming cup of comfort.

The Perfect Bandrek (Sundanese Herbal Spiced Tea) Recipe

This recipe serves 4 people generously, though I’ve been known to make a full batch just for myself on particularly rough days.

The timing is flexible — you can simmer it longer for more intensity or shorter if you’re in a hurry, though I really recommend giving it the full time to develop those deep, complex flavors.

Bandrek Sundanese Herbal Spiced Tea Recipe Ingredients You’ll Need

• 4 cups water
• ¼ cup palm sugar (or coconut sugar, or brown sugar as backup)
• 5 thin slices fresh ginger
• 1 cinnamon stick (or ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon)
• 5 whole cloves
• 1 cardamom pod
• 3 stalks lemongrass
• 2 pandan leaves, knotted
• Condensed coconut milk to taste (optional, but highly recommended)

Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow the steps below:

Building the Base

Start by combining your 4 cups of water in a medium saucepan with the palm sugar, ginger slices, cinnamon stick, cloves, and cardamom pod.

This is where the magic begins — as soon as that water starts to warm, you’ll smell the spices beginning to wake up.

Palm sugar is really the star here; if you can’t find it, coconut sugar is your next best bet, followed by brown sugar.

Each will give you a slightly different flavor profile, but all work beautifully in this Bandrek (Sundanese herbal spiced tea) recipe.

The key with the ginger is to slice it thin enough that it releases its oils quickly, but thick enough that you can easily fish it out later.

I aim for slices about the thickness of a quarter — thin enough to be effective, substantial enough to handle.

Preparing the Aromatics

Here’s where things get fun: take your lemongrass stalks and give them a good bash with the back of a knife or cleaver.

You want to bruise them enough to release their oils, but not so much that they fall apart completely.

The goal is to crack them open so all those lovely citrusy compounds can escape into your tea.

Add these bashed stalks to your pot along with the knotted pandan leaves.

If you can’t find pandan leaves (and honestly, they can be tricky to source), don’t panic.

The bandrek will still be delicious without them, though you’ll miss that subtle vanilla-like aroma they provide.

Some people substitute a small piece of vanilla bean, but I think it’s better to just make the recipe without than to try to approximate that unique pandan flavor.

The Slow Simmer

Bring everything to a gentle simmer over low heat — and I really mean gentle.

You want tiny bubbles breaking the surface, not a rolling boil that will make your spices bitter.

Let this simmer for about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally and taking deep breaths of that incredible aroma that’s now filling your kitchen.

During this time, the water will take on a beautiful golden color and the fragrance will become absolutely intoxicating.

This is also when I like to taste and adjust — if you want more sweetness, add a bit more sugar; if you want more heat, add another slice or two of ginger.

Finishing and Serving

After 25 minutes, remove all the whole spices, lemongrass stalks, and pandan leaves.

I use a fine-mesh strainer for this, but you can also just fish them out with a spoon if you’re careful.

Pour the bandrek into mugs and, if you’re feeling indulgent (which I highly recommend), drizzle in some condensed coconut milk to taste.

Tips and Tricks for Perfect Bandrek

Making great bandrek is mostly about understanding your spices and giving them time to do their thing, but there are definitely some tricks I’ve learned along the way that make a real difference.

Spice Quality Matters

Fresh, whole spices will always give you better results than pre-ground ones that have been sitting in your cabinet since the Clinton administration.

If your cloves don’t smell intensely aromatic when you open the container, it’s time for new ones.

Same goes for the cinnamon stick — it should smell sweet and warm, not dusty and faded.

Don’t Rush the Simmer

I know 25 minutes feels like forever when you’re craving that warm, spicy comfort, but this slow extraction time is what gives bandrek its depth.

The longer simmer allows the spices to release their oils gradually, creating layers of flavor that quick steeping just can’t achieve.

Trust the process — use this time to tidy up, prep dinner, or just stand by the stove and enjoy the aromatherapy.

Sugar Substitutions and Adjustments

Palm sugar really is worth seeking out for this Bandrek (Sundanese herbal spiced tea) recipe — it has a complex, almost molasses-like sweetness that complements the spices perfectly.

But if you can’t find it, coconut sugar is an excellent substitute with a similar flavor profile.

Brown sugar works too, though it will give you a slightly different taste.

Start with less than you think you need; you can always add more, but you can’t take it back.

Make It Your Own

Once you’ve mastered the basic recipe, feel free to experiment.

Some people add a star anise for extra licorice notes, others throw in a few black peppercorns for heat.

I’ve tried it with a small piece of fresh turmeric, which gives it a beautiful golden color and earthy flavor.

The beauty of bandrek is its flexibility — it’s a template, not a rigid formula.

Creative Variations to Try

The traditional bandrek recipe is perfect as-is, but there’s something so satisfying about making a recipe your own.

Here are some variations I’ve tried and loved, each bringing its own personality to this classic Sundanese drink.

Coconut Bandrek

Replace half the water with coconut milk for an incredibly rich, creamy version that’s like a hug in liquid form.

This variation is particularly wonderful on cold mornings when you need something more substantial than regular tea.

The coconut milk mellows the spices slightly while adding richness that makes this feel almost dessert-like.

Citrus-Forward Bandrek

Add the zest of one lime or lemon during the last 5 minutes of simmering for a bright, citrusy twist that’s incredibly refreshing.

This version is lovely served over ice in warmer weather — yes, iced bandrek is absolutely a thing and it’s delicious.

The citrus plays beautifully with the lemongrass and adds another layer of complexity.

Golden Milk Bandrek

Incorporate a 2-inch piece of fresh turmeric (or 1 teaspoon ground) along with a pinch of black pepper to create a golden milk-bandrek hybrid that’s both delicious and incredibly good for you.

The turmeric adds earthiness and that gorgeous golden color, while the black pepper helps your body absorb the turmeric’s beneficial compounds.

Spicy Bandrek

For those who like heat, add 2-3 thin slices of fresh chili or a pinch of cayenne pepper during the simmering process.

This creates a warming drink that’s perfect for when you’re feeling under the weather or just want something with more kick.

The heat plays surprisingly well with the sweet spices.

What to Expect: Real Talk About Results

Let me be completely honest about what you’re getting into with this Bandrek (Sundanese herbal spiced tea) recipe.

This isn’t going to taste like anything you’ve had before if you’re new to Indonesian flavors, and that’s exactly the point.

The first time I made it, I wasn’t sure if I loved it or was just confused by it — the combination of sweet, spicy, and aromatic was so different from my usual tea routine.

But here’s the thing: bandrek grows on you in the best possible way.

By my third cup (yes, I drank three cups that first day), I was completely hooked.

There’s something about the way the warmth spreads through your body, how the spices seem to clear your head while simultaneously relaxing your shoulders, that makes this drink genuinely addictive in the healthiest possible way.

Don’t expect perfection on your first try — like most spice-forward recipes, bandrek benefits from a little trial and error to get the proportions exactly how you like them.

Some people prefer it sweeter, others want more ginger heat, and some love it with enough condensed coconut milk to make it almost creamy.

The beauty is that it’s forgiving; even a less-than-perfect batch will still be warming and delicious.

The aroma alone is worth the effort — I’ve had friends comment on how incredible my kitchen smells when I’m making bandrek, and I’ve converted more than one skeptic just by letting them smell the simmering pot.

This is comfort food in liquid form, the kind of drink that makes everything feel a little more manageable and a lot more cozy.

Trust me, once you’ve experienced the magic of a properly made cup of bandrek on a cold day, you’ll understand why it’s been warming people up for generations.