Festivals call for the unavoidable treats of sweets, from dripping hot gulab jamuns to syrupy rasmalai. But as deliciously mouth-watering they are, and the health risks that come with an overdose of refined sugar, we often overlook the health risks. Let's indulge in this sweet-treat festive season with a healthier, tastier alternative- jaggery. Apart from the fact that jaggery gives a rich and complex flavour to sweets, this is less processed than refined sugar and can boast of more nutrition. Let's look at how you could make delicious jaggery-based Indian sweets and what the right way is to integrate jaggery into your cooking processes to enjoy a guilt-free festive season.
Gur Ka Halwa, or Jaggery Halwa
A variation of suji halwa, jaggery halwa is made by replacing sugar with gur, which imparts an intense and more caramel-like sweetness to the dessert. The roasted semolina is cooked in ghee and milk and towards the end, jaggery is melted and blended into the halwa. Garnished with nuts and saffron, this is one decadent yet healthier sweet to enjoy.
Gur Ke Ladoo
This is a traditional ladoo prepared with besan or atta. It can be sweetened with jaggery to make the dessert even more wholesome. The gur is melted, and roasted flour, ghee, and nuts are added to the mixture before shaping into ladoos. It's ideal for gifting also, and for munching between.
Til Gud Chikki
Crispy nutty chikki prepared from roasted sesame seeds and melted jaggery. A delicious brittle, normally enjoyed during winters, this snack is rather healthy as it is filled with the goodness of sesame seeds and earthy sweetness of jaggery.
Gur Ki Kheer
A rich rice pudding made with creamy milk, rice, and jaggery, Gur ki kheer is an excellent alternative to the sugar laden version. Jaggery is introduced to the kheer towards the last to prevent curdling of milk. Cardamom and almonds or pistachios are used for garnishing the dessert.
How to Use Jaggery in Sweets
Jaggery, or "gud," is a natural sweetener from sugarcane or palm sap. These are available in three forms: whole blocks, powdered jaggery, and liquid jaggery. Unlike refined sugar, jaggery has traces of iron, minerals, and other nutrients stored in it, and thus it is more healthy.
Powdered or Whole Jaggery?
Jaggery can be used in both powdered and block forms to make sweets. The powdered form is convenient for preparing dishes such as halwa or ladoo since it easily dissolves in the prepared mixture. Whole blocks of jaggery are ideal for dishes like kheer, in which jaggery can be melted separately and added to the dessert.
When Should Jaggery Be Added During Cooking?
The time of adding jaggery needs to be known in order to put it in any sweets dish. Because jaggery is said to curdle, especially in dairy products like kheer, it needs to be added in the last stages of preparation when the dish is cooked and a little cooled. In ladoos and halwa, too, jaggery can be added once all other ingredients are roasted or cooked and taken off the stove.
Choosing the Right Type of Jaggery
There are different types of jaggery available, such as sugarcane jaggery and palm jaggery. The most common one is sugarcane jaggery, but Palm jaggery has more intense flavour and fullness and could be a good alternative if you want to have something even stronger and complex. The usage of palm jaggery is generally in Bengali sweets for its richness of flavour.
Storage Tip
Jaggery needs to be kept in an airtight cover, preferably away from moisture, so that it does not turn hard. Powdered jaggery tends to clump with time. It's better, therefore, to store it in a cool and dry place.
Melt the Jaggery Individually
For many desserts, it’s best to melt jaggery separately with a bit of water and strain it to remove impurities before adding it to the dish. This ensures a smooth texture and prevents any graininess.
Test the Sweetness
Jaggery is sweeter than white sugar, hence lesser quantity may be needed compared with sugar. Start with a small amount and add more as needed.
Mixing Jaggery with Spices
The spices like cardamom, cinnamon, and nutmeg can complement jaggery very well. While the inclusion of spices can add an aromatic and rich flavour profile to your sweets, the earthiness of jaggery is also balanced by it.