Sarabba: The Indonesian Spiced Breakfast Drink With A Rich History

If you're looking for a sweet, spicy, and comforting beverage, sarabba (often spelled sara'ba) is an Indonesian drink that's as rich in flavor as it is in history. Ingredients like cinnamon, ginger, and pepper come together in a base of egg yolks and coconut milk for a fragrant, sweet, and flavorful beverage. The tasty concoction originated in Makassar (the capital city of a province called South Sulawesi), which played an important role in the global spice trade as early as the early 16th century.

Although sarabba is rich with warming spices and is typically served hot, you can enjoy this Indonesian beverage chilled, too. It's made by infusing hot water with ginger, spices, and sometimes lemongrass. Palm sugar is optional, depending on how sweet you want your drink to be. The infused mixture is added to sweet coconut milk and whisked with egg yolk, although you can omit the yolk if you want something a little lighter. There are many variations of this drink, and some recipes call for other ingredients like sweetened condensed milk.

Understanding spices and how to use them is even better when you know their history. For instance, cinnamon, pepper, and sometimes clove are all featured in sarabba. Cloveand a type of cinnamon called Cassia are both native to Indonesia, while pepper came to the islands by way of India, so the modern beverage wouldn't be possible without the long-standing history of trade. The spice trade in Indonesia dates back several millennia. It took on an increasingly global nature in 1498 when Portuguese explorer Vasco de Gama sailed to the coast of India, establishing the first trade connection between Europe and South Asia via sea. In the century that followed, Indonesia became pivotal, as European merchants sought after the Maluku Islands due to the presence of nutmeg, clove, and mace. Today, Indonesia is one of the top spice-exporting countries in the world.

Although the spices in sarabba are important, ginger is the most prominent flavor note. Still popular today, the drink is known as a comforting, energy-boosting pick-me-up, and is loved for its flavor and supposed health benefits. It's thought to aid in digestion, as one of the good benefits of ginger is that it can help settle your stomach. The flavor is somewhat reminiscent of Masala chai, and although it makes a great breakfast drink, in Indonesia it's actually a popular beverage for night-shift workers.