Growing up in Coimbatore, coconut groves have been a part and parcel of the city landscape. Coconut elements feature almost daily in our cuisine at home in the form of mostly chutneys and sometimes freshly grated on rice and on occasion as coconut milk gravies. Beyond that I hadn’t really given the tree and it’s offerings much thought.
Growing up in Coimbatore, coconut groves have been a part and parcel of the city landscape. Coconut elements feature almost daily in our cuisine at home in the form of mostly chutneys and sometimes freshly grated on rice and on occasion as coconut milk gravies. Beyond that I hadn’t really given the tree and it’s offerings much thought.
When things are available in abundance the human trait is to take it for granted and my thought process towards the coconut tree was of a similar nature. That changed a few years ago when one day I was gifted a packet of coconut blossom sugar. I remember sitting down to first try and recollect what coconut blossoms looked like. Fortunately we do have some coconut palms growing at home, so I quickly poked my head out of the window, to gaze at the very same trees but with vision that was altered with this new found information.
Right enough before my eyes, growing at the end of the long green fronds ,was a bunch of yellow blossoms poking outward. These are the coconut blossoms, the base of which are tapped for the sweet coconut nectar or theluvu. Since then I have had the pleasure of witnessing the process that converts this naturally occurring liquid into a form that resembles coarse dark sugar granules.
The person who taught me to understand this process was Ram Mohan who owns and manages the entire line of Farm Made products. Hailing from a family of coconut breeders and trained by his father, he has made many a value addition to the family owned Umapathy farms.
When he decided to venture into manufacturing coconut blossom sugar, all efforts were made to follow the proper techniques founded by an eminent Russian scientist who had patented a method which resulted in the purest extraction of coconut nectar by following the ice box method. The process which then involves the caramelisation and dehydration of the liquid is what leads to the crumbly, honey coloured coconut blossom sugar.
While the calorie count may be the same as refined sugar, it does have a lower glycemic index when absorbed into the system. More importantly, it is a natural sugar which retains all minerals and nutrients unlike the unhealthy artificially whitened sugar grains. It’s also suitable for heating and makes a delicious addition to tea, coffee and hot chocolate. We also use it for baking and it pairs very well with most whole grain cakes,especially chocolate. The flavour of this sugar is a lighter version of jaggery. It feels quite fresh on the palate and if savoured for a minute on the tongue, one can pick up a subtle hint of coconut. Ram Mohan’s mother makes a delicious coconut candy which is attractively packed and available at the supermarkets.
In the past year, another brand called Coco Tier has also made an entry into the market with their coconut sugar. It’s available on Amazon and is gaining popularity. The person behind this brand is Niranjani Ramanathan who also has a definite vision for the future of the farmland which she has inherited. Being a passionate home baker herself, she has many suggestions on how best to use this natural sugar. From adding it to sukku kaapi, chocolate chip cookies and making a delicious cocoa mix, she is quite happy to experiment and share the information.
The reason we as consumers must support ‘agri-preneurs’ like these are because they are not only working towards offering healthy alternatives but most importantly are striving to preserve agricultural land by using sustainable farming practices. The fact that educated folks make informed choices and apply it wherever necessary for the good of not just their livelihood but also the environment, must be applauded.
We can only make healthy choices if there are alternative options available. It’s a matter of pride that products like these which are beneficial to health are made locally and we don’t have to look elsewhere. It doesn’t get better than this as far as freshness and availability. An agave syrup probably isn’t from these parts but a coconut blossom sugar is. Which would you rather choose ?