Jaggery or Gur is made from refined sugar and is a known substitute for sugar. Obtained by boiling raw and concentrated sugarcane juice, jaggery founds its mention in the ancient medical system of Ayurveda. Though jaggery is also made from the sap of date palm and coconut, the one obtained from sugarcane is the one widely consumed.
The production and usage of jaggery dates back to the time of the Rig Vedic period. As stated, sugarcane juice, sugar cubes as well as jaggery were used in the ancient medical treatises of Ayurveda. But did you know Kerala is famous for the production of a famous type of jaggery? Yes. Actually, the peculiar location of Marayoor in Kerala is surrounded by dense forest and is situated in the Idukki district of the state. It perhaps has the best variety of jaggery not in the country but in the entire world.
As stated by facts, Marayoor falls in the rain shadow region, and the quality of molasses is attributed to the specialty in temperature and the ph value of the earth. Thus, the age-old specialized skill of the local people in making the jaggery added up to its uniqueness. Making of Marayoor jaggery is completely manual. Firstly, the raw sugar is manually extracted from the freshly harvest canes with the help of a diesel-run sugarcane roller. After it gets pulped into a fibrous residue, its juice is extracted. Its impurities are sieved and then, the boiling process starts. After the syrup thickens, the jaggery is poured into a trough and rolled into the jaggery balls before the cooling down of the mixture. Besides, the waste residue is used to fuel the wok.
A matter of great achievement is that Marayoor jaggery has now received a Geographical Indication (GI tag) that has enabled its production level. Moreover, the GI tag eliminated the external factors affecting the production and confined it to the Marayoor natives only. This Independence Day, it was essential to mention and appreciate the Marayoor jaggery that has made the country proud.
Since we have talked much about jaggery. Let us tell you a simple and quick way of making ‘Gur ki Chai’. Now, making jaggery tea could be complicated. It is quite difficult to make jaggery tea without it getting curdled. But we are there for you. Just follow these simple steps and have a cup of jaggery tea in no time.
Method
- Take a saucepan and add ¾ cup water.
- Add ½ tsp dry ginger powder and 2 crushed cardamoms
- Bring it to a boil
- Add 2 tsp tea leaves
- Bring it to a boil for a simmer of 3 to 4 minutes
- Add ½ cup milk and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes
- Strain the tea
- Meanwhile, add 2 tsp of jaggery powder to a cup.
- Add strained tea and mix well
- Serve jaggery tea hot
Tips to make the perfect jaggery tea
- Don’t add jaggery to hot milk otherwise, it will curdle.
- You can use palm jaggery or date palm jaggery.
- Prefer strong tea and less milk.
- Brew the tea for a long time.
- You can use almond and soy milk for vegan jaggery tea.
Enjoy!