Why are Kannadigas in particular and South Indians in general so obsessed with jaggery? Is it because sugarcane is widely available in the region? Do South Indians like the dry, crumbly flavor of jaggery rather than the bland nature of khoya cream that sweetens North Indian desserts? Do we Dravidians have an intrinsic and hereditary aversion to the spongy, milk-based ras malai and mishti doi favored by Bengalis? Are we as a people lactose intolerant? Is this why we are moving to Bella Or jaggery for livelihood and solace?
The supremacy of jaggery is most evident during the great harvest festivals. You can see it right before your eyes. The streets are full of sugarcane, which is extracted and made into jaggery that sweetens festive dishes.
Although Karnataka cannot claim it, the process of refining sugar from sugarcane was invented in the Indian subcontinent as early as 500 AD. In fact, the word sugar comes from the Sanskrit word, SarkaraAnd the word candy comes from KhandaThis is what our ancestors called the sugar syrup that they used to pour into molds to solidify and transport. Today we do the same thing, but we call it by a different name, as you will see.
Sugarcane grew abundantly throughout India. Karnataka ranks third in sugarcane production. Within Karnataka, Mandya and Mysore are important growth centres, along with Belagavi, Bagalkot and Vijayapura. Mandya jaggery is prized by Bengalureans for its flavor and also for its accessibility. Farmers who grow jaggery in Mandya sell it locally Santhis Or the markets through which jaggery is trucked to Bengaluru by Vokkaliga Gowda and Reddy traders and distributors who are the traditional owners of jaggery units in the region. The fields surrounding Mandya also contain Billy Or legumes that add volume to our desserts. the Bella (jaggery) and bili (pulses or lentils) are the cornerstone of sweet preparations, largely south of the Vindhyas.
This is something I live with, not necessarily love. Even though I grew up in South India, I prefer sticky sweets of the kind served in Kolkata or Delhi. Give me frothy Daulat ki chatpreferred by people in Delhi and Lucknow, will make me swoon. But in the South, people scoff at that kind of stickiness. They believe that white sugar is a one-dimensional sweetener that lacks nuance. Jaggery is complex and multi-layered. Lick a piece of Bella You’ll taste a little saltiness, an earthy aroma, and some mineral flavors of the kind that wine lovers would brag about. It has a longer mouthfeel than a small, high-pitched sugar spike. Jaggery is also nutritionally richer than sugar because minerals such as potassium, magnesium, selenium and iron have not been leached out through refining.
The other staple ingredient in Kannadiga sweets is equally conflicting when you think about it. We associate dals and lentils with savory items, but guess what, we put these lentils in our desserts too. Our festive sweets come in size – not from Sheena (milk curd) or My brother (condensed milk) – but usually from cooked and mashed legumes kadale bele or Chana dalbut also whatever is on hand and in season. Using lentils as a base for a dessert does two things: it gives a delicious, nutty base to the sweet, and it also declares the sweet to be somewhat more virtuous. This is protein disguised as candy.
The signature dish of this duo is of course obbattu or Holig. Both words refer to the same sweet but are used in different parts of the state. the Holig (Named obbattu In certain parts of Karnataka) it is not served as a delicate dessert after a meal. It is presented as a central part of oota (meal), hot from the tawa, and dipped not in sugar syrup like gulab jamun in North India, but in fresh liquid. A dress (ghee). It’s as sweet as a main course – filling, nutritious and festive. Homesick NRIs prefer to carry their file again Billy-Full Holig Because it lasts longer.
Same thing Billy–Bella The plural is used in our payasais poorly translated into English as milk pudding. While it depends on milk payasas Thick rice and vermicelli are also prepared, which is the most traditional ceremonial payasa he be payasa. This is done by boiling kadale bele or hesaru bele Until cooked and then simmered in a mixture of melted jaggery and fresh coconut milk. The resulting dish is rich and brown, like a complex pudding, cooked with bits of fried coconut, cashews and raisins. It lacks the stark whiteness and simple sweetness of its North Indian counterpart which we call it goodness. the be payasa It has more nuances in flavor and is vegetarian to boot.
this Billy Bella (along with Kay or coconut) forms the basic identity, indeed the magical combination, of Kannadiga ceremonial cuisine. This applies not only to desserts but also to savory gravies such as Sambhar and artist Also – because in Kalyana Karnataka, the region surrounding Mysore and Bangalore, Kannadigas add a touch of jaggery to their food. Sambhar also. The idea is to balance the flavors. To please and nourish. For Bangalore Kannadigas, the Billy Bella The blend does both, thanks to its gentle, slow complexity.
(Shobha Narayan is an award-winning author based in Bengaluru. She is also a freelance contributor who writes about art, food, fashion and travel for a number of publications.)
