25 Uses for Jaggery

If you’re looking for a healthy alternative to ordinary refined white and brown sugar for sweetening, cooking and baking, you’re going to love our naturally delicious, mineral-rich, Certified Organic  Jaggery and Jaggery Powder. They’re made from the extracted juice of organically grown sugarcane, produced to form a rich and healthy sweetener that has been used in for centuries in the traditional diets of India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Also called “gur”, it’s quite common to find it in both sweet and savory dishes as well as some beverages.

Jaggery is an important food, recognized in Ayurveda, the ancient Indian medical system, for its many benefits. Ayurvedic Jaggery is an incredibly delicious, limited addition made with ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, long pepper root, nutmeg, mace, black pepper and clove. Because it’s pressed from organic sugarcane, our jaggery retains its valuable, natural vitamins and minerals.

Here are some tips for cooking with jaggery:

• Use equal amounts or a little less jaggery in place of sugar in a recipe. Jaggery is rich – both in flavor and nutrition, so a little bit can go a long way.
• If you keep jaggery in the refrigerator, bring it to room temperature before using.
• Scrape with a pairing knife or grate as much as you need using a regular cheese grater.
• Jaggery Powder is already crumbled / grated for you but may still need to be warmed and/or properly mixed for your recipe.
• Make “jaggery syrup” to use in recipes calling for liquid sweeteners such as honey, maple syrup, molasses, corn syrup, etc. For every tablespoon of jaggery, use one teaspoon of warm or hot water. Blend or whisk well to make syrup. It’s naturally sweet and rich so you can use less in your recipes. For example, if a recipe calls for ½ cup honey, try 1/3 cup jaggery syrup instead.
• Use jaggery alongside sugar in a recipe – this is a good way to cut down on the amount of refined or white sugar you need to use.

Enjoy these 25 delicious ideas:

1. Use as you would brown or white sugar in recipes. For best results, grate only the amount needed.
2. Sweeten tea, coffee and hot or cold grain beverages.
3. Add to hot milk with a spoonful of Grass-fed Ghee and a dash of cardamom for a nourishing drink. Stir until jaggery has dissolved.
4. Add a spoonful to pie crust dough when making a dessert crust. Use a pastry blender or food processor to blend all ingredients. This makes a beautiful, lightly sweetened golden brown crust.
5. Stir a spoonful of jaggery syrup into plain yogurt. Add fruit or natural flavoring extracts such as vanilla if desired.
6. Make hot sweet rice by stirring a spoonful of jaggery into hot basmati rice. Add toasted almonds, currents and a spoonful of Grass-fed Ghee, Cultured Ghee, or Coconut Ghee. This makes a delicious breakfast or snack that even the kids will love!
7. Instead of sugar, use jaggery to sweeten pancake or waffle batter. For delicious blueberry pancakes, mix 1/3 cup flour with a pinch of salt, and 1/8 teaspoon baking soda. Separately, blend 1 whole egg with 2 teaspoons melted Grass-fed Ghee or Virgin PRIMALFAT Coconut Ghee, ¼ cup organic buttermilk and 2 teaspoons jaggery syrup. Pour over flour mixture; add blueberries, stir to combine, and make pancakes. Serves one.
8. For subtle caramel notes, add a little to sauces for meats, vegetables and grains.
9. Muffins and biscuits are delicious and nutritious when prepared with jaggery.
10. Make your own Kombucha, kefir, or ginger ale with jaggery.
11. Sweeten frostings, glazes and icings for cakes and pastries by blending grated or scraped jaggery with softened or melted butter, ghee or coconut oil.
12. Make delicious hot chocolate by combining 1 cup organic milk or non-dairy milk, 1 to 2 tablespoons jaggery and 1 to 2 tablespoons cocoa powder in a saucepan. Stir over medium heat until cocoa and jaggery are dissolved. Remove from heat. If desired, add a drop of vanilla and a spoonful of Grass-fed Digestive Ghee.
13. Make roasted spiced pecans or other nuts with jaggery. Melt jaggery with butter or ghee, salt and spices. Stir in nuts, coating well. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 10 to 15 minutes or until done to your liking.
14. Make delicious caramelized onions with grass-fed ghee or butter and a pinch of jaggery.
15. Add a little jaggery to spaghetti sauce to add a subtle bit of sweetness and help cut down on the acid from the cooked tomatoes.
16. If you are a candy maker, use jaggery in place of sugar.
17. Slice 2 large bananas vertically to make 4 long halves; cook in 2 tablespoons Original Ghee Dessert Ghee or Digestive Ghee over medium heat, for just a minute or two. Turn the bananas over. Sprinkle with 1 or 2 tablespoons grated jaggery and some cinnamon and/or nutmeg. Continue to cook for another 2 to 4 minutes or until bananas are browned and caramel-like.  Serve as is or with whipped cream, yogurt, ice cream or favorite non-dairy frozen dessert.  Serves 4. For variation, try this recipe with apples, pears, or peaches.
18. Mix a little mashed or grated jaggery with peanut butter, almond butter or other favorite nut butter. Spread over toast or crackers.
19. Make chocolate chip cookies with grated jaggery instead of white or brown sugar.
20. Use jaggery or jaggery syrup to make delicious gingerbread or ginger cookies. Try these wonderful Jaggery Ginger Cookies.
21. Sweeten a favorite brownie recipe with jaggery.
22. Stew dried fruits with jaggery. Simply simmer 1 cup dried fruits such as figs, dates, raisins or prunes with a teaspoon of jaggery in 1 cup water or apple juice. For a flavor boost, add a squeeze of lemon juice before serving.
23. Add a spoonful of jaggery to curry dishes for a nice compliment to hot spices.
24. Add a little jaggery to salad dressings such as vinaigrette. Blend well (use a blender) in order to completely combine ingredients. Delicious!
25. Use grated jaggery as a “sugar scrub” for your body to help exfoliate dead skin cells, creating healthy, soft and supple skin. Don’t forget elbows and heels!