Lahang

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Lahang is a traditional cold drink from West Java, Indonesia. It is made from the sap of the aren palm, also called sugar palm. The drink is especially associated with the Sundanese people. Sap is collected by tapping the male flowers of the aren tree, usually from trees five years old or older. Tapping requires skill: the flower cluster is cleaned, and the sap drips into a bamboo container. If the sap is left exposed too long, it can ferment into vinegar or palm wine. The fresh sap is mixed with ice and served cold, often as a street drink in a large bamboo tube. Lahang is commonly sold together with other aren products like palm sugar (gula aren), palm wine (tuak), and dodol sweets.