Sooner or later, a supplier in Indonesia will send you a photo of a sack with a handwritten label, or a farmer’s price list, or a WhatsApp message that slips into Bahasa Indonesia. A few words go a long way. Here are the spice names and trade terms you are most likely to meet.
The spices
| Indonesian name | English name | Botanical name | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cabe jamu, cabe jawa | Java long pepper | Piper retrofractum | ”Jamu” is traditional herbal medicine, which says a lot about how it is used at home |
| Kapulaga | Java cardamom | Amomum compactum | Round cardamom, not the green cardamom of India |
| Cengkeh | Clove | Syzygium aromaticum | Most Indonesian cloves go into kretek cigarettes |
| Jahe gajah, jahe badak | Elephant ginger | Zingiber officinale | The big rhizome type, best for export |
| Jahe emprit | Small white ginger | Zingiber officinale | Smaller, hotter, more aromatic |
| Jahe merah | Red ginger | Zingiber officinale var. rubrum | Very hot, popular in jamu |
| Kayu manis | Cinnamon (cassia) | Cinnamomum burmannii | Literally “sweet wood” |
| Pala | Nutmeg | Myristica fragrans | Also the word for the whole nutmeg fruit |
| Bunga pala, fuli | Mace | Myristica fragrans | ”Bunga” means flower, though mace is not a flower |
| Vanili, panili | Vanilla | Vanilla planifolia | Usually sold as cured beans |
A small warning about cabe. On its own, or as cabai, it means chilli. Cabe jamu and cabe jawa are long pepper, a completely different plant. If a message just says “cabe”, ask.
Words about quality
| Indonesian | Meaning | Where you will see it |
|---|---|---|
| Kadar air | Moisture content | The most important number on most specifications |
| Kering | Dry, dried | ”Cengkeh kering” is dried cloves |
| Basah | Wet, fresh | Fresh or not yet dried produce |
| Kadar abu | Ash content | Lab results |
| Minyak atsiri | Essential oil | Clove, cardamom and nutmeg specifications |
| Benda asing, kotoran | Foreign matter, dirt | Quality specifications |
| Utuh | Whole | Whole nutmeg, whole mace |
| Pecah | Broken | Broken mace, broken cinnamon |
| Super, asalan | Selected, ungraded | ”Asalan” means as harvested, not sorted |
Words about handling
| Indonesian | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Panen | Harvest |
| Jemur, dijemur | Sun dry, sun dried |
| Sortir | Sorting |
| Ayak | Sieve, sieving |
| Petik | Pick (by hand) |
| Gudang | Warehouse |
| Karung | Sack, bag |
| Timbang | Weigh |
Words about trade
| Indonesian | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Grade, mutu | Grade, quality |
| Harga | Price |
| Contoh, sampel | Sample |
| Kirim, pengiriman | Send, shipment |
| Pelabuhan | Port (ours is Tanjung Perak, Surabaya) |
| Ton, kuintal | Metric ton, 100 kg (kuintal is still common at farm level) |
Do you need to learn any of this?
Not really. We write specifications, offers and documents in English, and we are happy to explain anything that comes through in Indonesian. But knowing that kadar air means moisture, or that asalan means unsorted, can save you a question or two when a photo of a farm price list lands in your inbox.
Browse the full range on our products page, or ask us anything. We reply in English.
