What Makes Indonesia's Avocado Juice Drink Jus Alpukat So Unique
Avocados are creamy, buttery, and versatile enough to be incorporated into sweet or savory dishes and specialty drinks. There are avocado smoothies, avocado milk, and even avocado cocktails. But head to Indonesia, and you'll certainly find a creative and caffeinated spin on traditional avocado drinks.
To understand Indonesia's perspective on avocado juice drinks, we must first understand some of what their beverage scene entails. Coffee is quite popular, and variations include kopi Tobruk (coffee grounds that are mixed into hot water), kopi joss (brewed coffee with burning charcoal in it), and kopi luwak (which is famously referred to as civet coffee, as the coffee beans are droppings of the civet mammal), per Taste Atlas. The source explains that ginger, spices, palm sugar, and sweetened condensed milk are also heavily utilized.
Speaking of sweetened condensed milk and coffee, these two play a crucial role in one of Indonesia's most popular beverages: jus alpukat. Here's what makes it so unique.
It's more like an avocado shake
According to Serious Eats, jus alpukat combines avocados with whole milk, sweetened condensed milk, coffee, a little bit of salt, and an optional chocolate drizzle that is borderline a requirement. Though if you're not a fan of caffeine, you can certainly use decaffeinated coffee or make this sans coffee. The source explains that jus alpukat is unique for its sweet and creamy consistency which is more akin to an avocado shake than avocado juice. (For a thinner texture, just add more whole milk.)
Food blog Cook Me Indonesian explains that this drink can be found in fancy restaurants and sold by street vendors throughout Indonesia. It's also common for Indonesians to consume sweet foods and drinks, like jus alpukat, alongside their savory entrees, as traditional menu courses are typically only found in upscale restaurants.
Jus alpukat highlights the sweetness from condensed milk, the buttery and creamy texture from avocados, and the caffeine boost from coffee, which are all tied together with a small pinch of salt. And if you're making this at home, don't forget that chocolate drizzle either.