Palm Jaggery Suyyam

Category: Health

No, I didn’t go into hibernation, in case if anyone is wondering. I was simply basking in the aftermath of the pongal feast and another celebration in the family. But, I might go into a dormant state, as I am planning to take a break for sometime, after posting a few more recipes, a break that I hope will help to rejuvenate the blog and the creator.I was given a few discs of palm jaggery/Karupatti, from Mangalore which tasted very sweet, with a unique taste of its own, unlike the palm jaggery/Karupatti that we get here . This palm jaggery was so delicious by itself, that it was so irresistible to nibble, even before I could think of using it in a recipe. Many seem to have a lot of doubts about Karuppatti/palm jaggery, while some think that jaggery and palm jaggery are the same. Jaggery is the unrefined product of sugar cane juice and Palm jaggery is the unrefined product of palmyra palm. Palm jaggery that is available in south India is a mixture of the extract from the palm, dry ginger and other spices. Since jaggery and palm jaggery are in the unrefined form with all its essential nutrients intact, it is a healthy sweetener than the chemically treated, refined white sugar. Karupatti/palm jaggery can be used in all recipes, where jaggery is used, but taste wise it will differ, still very sweet. The karupatti/ palmjaggery from south India is used to make a wonderful karupatti kapi (coffee) with a sharp gingery note that hits our palate, right on the first sip, which slides down the throat causing a mild burning sensation and cleanses the digestive system stimulating hunger. I have had aromatic Sukku kapi from the petty shops in the campus of the new Secretariat, which I don’t think is available there anymore, but with a good amount of Palm jaggery in hand it is easy to make a delicious karupatti kapi or Sukku kapi at home.