Pantry
Jaggery
හකුරු
Also called kithul jaggery, hakuru, gur, palm jaggery, coconut jaggery
Unrefined sugar boiled down from palm sap or cane juice and set in blocks or cakes.
Origin
South and Southeast Asia. In Sri Lanka the best comes from the kithul palm.
Flavour
Smoky, caramel, slightly mineral. Kithul tastes almost of toffee and smoke; cane jaggery is sweeter and plainer.
How it is made
Sap or juice is boiled in open pans until thick, then poured into moulds or coconut shells to set.
How to use it
Grate or chop and melt into custards, sweets, milk rice toppings and curries that need a sweet edge. Strain the syrup if it has grit.
Storage
Wrapped airtight in a cool, dry place. It softens in humidity.
Recipes using it
Watalappan
වටලප්පන්
Sri Lankan Malay steamed custard of coconut milk, jaggery, eggs and cardamom, topped with cashews.
Easy
Pork vindaloo
पोर्क विंदालू
Goan pork vindaloo: pork shoulder marinated overnight in Kashmiri chilli, garlic, vinegar and whole spices, then braised until sour, hot and dark red.
MediumHot
Idli sambar
இட்லி சாம்பார்
Soft steamed cakes of fermented rice and urad dal, served with sambar, a sour lentil and vegetable stew with tamarind and a mustard-seed tempering.
MediumMedium heat