Gur

Gur refers to the indigenous and partially refines sugar from India. Gur (synomymous to Jaggery or Panela) is a natural food sweetener which accounts for more than 50% of the sugar intake in India. It is made from thick and concentrated sugarcane juice or palm sugar and has a distinctive, nutty flavor and a characteristic brown color. This sugar is rich in iron, minerals and natural vitamins Gur has a big part in the cooking process in India. It is an ingredient to many Indian dishes, like chutneys and curries. It is however, most popularly used in making Indian desserts and confectionaries, like Payasums and Chikki and Appams. There are several types of Gur: (1) Aakher Gur means unrefined cane sugar. (2) Khejur Gur means the sugar is obtained from processing the sap from the trunks of Khejur or date-palm tree during winter.