Brown Sugar Making Jaggery Gur, an Interesting Occasional Visit

Jaggery Brown Sugar GUR 

The Process of Making Brown Sugar in Mardan 

I often visit my village in Mardan during the winter season, where I spend time on agricultural land. Mardan is located in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province (formerly known as the North-West Frontier Province) of Pakistan. This farmland is situated on the way to Charsadda, an area known for its vast agricultural lands. The majority of the population here is engaged in farming. In addition to cash crops, landlords cultivate a variety of vegetables on their properties. Among the major cash crops grown here are sugarcane, wheat, and several others. In recent times, jaggery (unrefined brown sugar) has become scarce. The local people generally prefer consuming brown sugar over refined white sugar. 

Making of Brown Sugar 

In the production of brown sugar, farmers first collect a large quantity of sugarcane. Traditionally, the juice was extracted manually, but modern methods have now been introduced for this process. The extracted sugarcane juice is gathered in a large tank. It is then transferred to another large tank, where it is stirred continuously using a big scoop. After several hours of stirring and heating, the sugarcane juice thickens significantly. 

Final Touch 

Once the thickened mixture cools down, a group of four to five people works together to form small pieces, roughly the size of walnuts. These pieces are then packed into numerous sacks for storage and sale. Farmers sell this brown sugar in the market, while many locals also use it as a sweetener in tea. I personally use brown sugar at home as well. It is a much healthier alternative to refined sugar, which contains various harmful chemicals that can be detrimental to human health. 

Conclusion 

Brown sugar, or jaggery, is not only a traditional sweetener but also a healthier choice compared to refined sugar. The process of making it involves traditional farming techniques combined with modern extraction methods. In Mardan, this natural sweetener remains an essential part of daily life, preferred for its purity and nutritional benefits. Thank you, Cheers 😀. 

Gur or jaggery: South Asia's most popular dessert and treat 

In Pakistan, fresh sugarcane juice is obtained by cooking well, but in many other regions, it is also prepared from coconut water and palm juice. First, the juice is thickened by cooking it well in a large pot, then its lumps are made. It is called Colombia and Penila in the West Indies, Kakuto in Japan, and Rapadora in Brazil. 

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, sugar cane juice does not lose its properties, such as glucose, fructose, and other mineral salts, as it does in the complex process of making sugar. 

The process of purification to make sugar removes the 'densities', but it also removes the tiny nutrients. In contrast, this does not happen in the process of making a gur or jaggery and all its nutrients and healthy ingredients like calcium and magnesium remain. 

Sugarcane in the subcontinent is believed to have come from Burma and the Malawi Peninsula in 6,000 BC. Hundreds of varieties of sugarcane are grown in India, making up 70% of the world's sugarcane. It is also widely cultivated in Pakistan and Bangladesh. 

In all the major cities of Pakistan, sacks full of Jaggery are available in the big bazaars. Gur is used in homes for specific dishes or treatments. Many travelers carry gar halwa with them. It is also used to make sesame seeds, peanuts, and other dried fruits. 

Jaggery tea is also popular in the cold regions of Pakistan, especially for truck drivers on the highways. In rural areas, children are also given a place for toffee. In the rural areas of Mardan and Charsadda, artisans make Gur in a very simple way and fire is also lit with sugarcane pulp to cook sugarcane juice. That way, no part of the crop is wasted. 

Gur has many uses in Pakistan. Women use it to relieve pre-menstrual pain or to speed up childbirth, while parents feed their babies to make up for the lack of iron. Older people chew a lump of gur after eating to improve digestion and relieve joint pain and ask their children to do the same. 

Jaggery or raw sugar has been used for medical purposes for thousands of years. Gur is thought to have a more medicinal effect if it is three years old or older. Some ancient books on therapeutic and surgical texts mention the benefits of the old Gur or Jaggery as it cleanses the blood, removes bodily imperfections caused by bile (bile fluid), and relieves joint pain. 

Ancient Iranian therapies also describe the many properties of gar, according to which it affects four different human temperaments (bile, breath, a fit in madness, phlegm). Gur or jaggery is believed to increase blood flow. 

However, the cultural significance of Gur or jaggery, or raw sugar in Pakistan cannot be underestimated. It cures diseases, cures colds, and instantly generates energy in the body.