Jaggery
Sweetener
Top 10 pairings
An unrefined sugar of South and Southeast Asia, boiled down from cane juice or palm sap into gold-to-dark-brown blocks. Called gur in Hindi-Urdu, it keeps the molasses white sugar loses, giving a deep, almost smoky sweetness.
Picking a good onedrag
Firm, glossy, warm caramelWeeping, fuzzy, soured
Dark grade or palmEveryday bestUse it where a dark, mineral edge suits: chai, kheer, tamarind sauces and dark baking.
Colour through a fresh breakDark brown to near-black inside
Press it, then break a cornerSoft, dents, finger stays clean
Smell the broken faceFlatter, plain-sweet
The block, the wrap and the labelPalm jaggery in small cups