Jaggery

Jaggery is a traditional non-centrifugal cane sugar consumed in South Asia, Southeast Asia, North America, Central America, Brazil and parts of Africa, ranging in color from golden brown to dark brown and remaining unrefined, with its molasses inseparable from the sugar crystals. It is made by extracting cane juice or palm sap, filtering or clarifying it, concentrating it through heating over a furnace traditionally fired with bagasse, then cooling and molding it, with modern production adding improved crushers, filtration equipment and controlled heating. Production concentrates in South Asia, particularly India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan, and in Southeast Asian countries such as Myanmar, Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam, which often use palm sap alongside sugarcane. Across South Asia jaggery sweetens traditional desserts and beverages and some savory dishes, appearing in preparations such as tilgul, payasam and laddus, and small quantities are used to balance spicy or salty flavors in dishes like sambar and rasam.