Jaggery is made of the products of both sugarcane and the palm tree. The sugar made from the sap of the date palm is both more prized and less commonly available outside of the regions where it is made.The sago palm and coconut palm are also now tapped for producing jaggery in West Bengal,South India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. In Sri Lanka, syrup extracts from Caryota urens tree is widely used for jaggery production. This is considered as the best quality jaggery available in local market and they give it higher value than the product coming from other sources.
Jaggery is used as an ingredient in both sweet and savory dishes across India and Sri Lanka. For example, a pinch of jaggery is sometimes added to sambar, rasam, and other staples in India.
Jaggery is also added to lentil soups (dal) to add sweetness to balance the spicy, salty, and sour components, particularly in Gujarati cuisine.
View Original Size
