Jaggery is a natural sweetener made from the sap of sugar cane. Jaggery has a richer, more complex flavor than brown sugar. It has a high mineral content, because it has not been refined like white sugar.
The word jaggery comes from the Hindi term “ghar” which means “home.” Some regions in India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and other parts of South Asia have long histories of consuming this food item for its natural properties.
Jaggery can be found in different parts of the world including Europe and Africa. This article will cover how to tell when jaggery was made, how to store it, and how to use it in recipes.
It can be used in place of brown sugar when baking, in sauces and curries, or just as a sweetener in your tea or coffee.
Jaggery vs Brown Sugar
Unlike brown sugar, jaggery is made from the sap of sugar cane. Jaggery has a richer, more complex flavor than brown sugar. It also has higher mineral content due to it not being refined like white sugar.
Many regions in India, Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh have long histories of consuming this food item for its natural properties. What’s more? Jaggery can also be found in Europe and Africa.
How to Store Jaggery
Jaggery can be stored at room temperature. Storing jaggery is simple, just wrap the pieces in cloth or paper before storing them.
How to Use Jaggery
Jaggery can be used as a substitute for brown sugar or molasses in recipes. The flavor of jaggery is more complex, making it a good choice for desserts, including gingerbread cookies.
Most jaggeries are made from sugar cane, though there are other types that are made from palm trees or date palms. This article will focus on how to use jaggery that has been made from sugar cane.
If you’re using jaggery in a recipe, measure out the same amount of brown sugar and use half as much water in place of the melted butter or oil called for in the recipe. Jaggery contains less moisture than brown sugar, so it’s important to add extra liquid when substituting this sweetener for others.
If you’re not sure what type of jaggery you have, just taste it! Jaggery should have a sweeter and richer flavor than brown sugar because it is processed less. It also has a higher mineral content since it’s not refined like white sugar.
Conclusion
Jaggery and brown sugar are both sweeteners that can be used in a variety of dishes and beverages. Brown sugar is made from cane sugar that has been processed and then dehydrated. Jaggery is made from raw sugar cane and is typically much darker in color than brown sugar.
However, brown sugar and jaggery are not interchangeable when it comes to recipes. Jaggery is used when baking or in the making of pulao, while brown sugar is used when baking or in the making of candy.
The most important difference between jaggery and brown sugar is the fact that jaggery has nutrients and minerals and brown sugar is pure sugar. So, you can use brown sugar for most recipes but it is not as healthy as jaggery.
Due to the difference in taste, texture, and health benefits, it’s best to use one type of sugar over the other as needed as opposed to substituting one for the other.