Jaggery

Jaggery is not widely known in the West and is predominantly made in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Myanmar. Jaggery is a form of unrefined and non-distilled sugar made from the sap or juice of plants that contain a considerable amount of sucrose, including sugar cane and certain palms like the date palm.
The process of manufacturing involves crushing sugar cane or palm and then extracting the juice from it. The juice is then poured in a large, shallow, but thick iron vessel or pan, called a kadhai and is brought to a boil over earthen ovens. It is continuously stirred using large ladles to avoid sticking at the bottom of the vessel, and it is cooked for many hours until most of the water from the juice has evaporated, leaving a thick, golden to brown paste. Its color and taste depending upon the degree of boiling.
