Indian homemade sweets are not just dessert, but ritual, festival, and family get-together. But with rising health awareness, throngs search for alternatives to white sugar used in sweets. Then came palm sugar candy, also known as panangal kandam. A traditional sweetener used in Indian sweets, palm sugar is a complete natural sweetener and adds sweetness and wholesomeness to traditional sweets.
Now, in this blog, we are going to introduce you to some of the tasty Indian sweets using palm sugar candy, give a small reference about the advantages of palm sugar, and also let you know how to use this great ingredient at home.
What is Palm Sugar Candy (Panangal Kandam)?
Panangal kandam, also known as palm candy, is a natural sweetener derived from the sap of the Palmyra palm tree. Sap is boiled and crystallized in amber-colored semi-sweet candy form. It is used considerably in South Indian and Ayurvedic cuisine, as a medicined and flavoring spice.
Nutritionally better than processed white sugar:
Lower on glycemic index
Moderate to high in iron, calcium, and potassium
High in antioxidants
Chemical and process-free artificial
Palm sugar candy will have to be used in Desserts because
Panangal kandam is earthy in taste yet sweet with Indian spices such as cardamom, nutmeg, and saffron. Low melting point, soluble in food, and imparts golden caramel color to food.
Advantage of palm sugar used in dessert:
- Not processed and pure
- Retards digestion
- Strengthens immunity
- Mines minerals to dessert
- Triggers off natural sugar craving
7 Indian Sweets That You Can Make Using Palm Sugar Candy
Now here are the multi-step recipes where palm sugar candy gets a place in your list of traditional sweets:
1. Palm Sugar Candy Payasam (Kheer)
Spicy South Indian dessert recipe made with rice, coconut milk, and panangal kandam.
Ingredients:
- Raw rice or millets
- Coconut milk
- Crushed palm sugar candy
- Ghee
- Cashews & raisins
- Cardamom
Instructions:
Boil rice or millets in water until they turn soft.
Melt the palm sugar candy and filter through water.
Mix with cooked rice and coconut milk.
Boil and combine cardamom, ghee, fried cashews and raisins.
Why it’s special: Guilt-free luxury, creamy and rich!
2. Palm Sugar Pongal (Sakkarai Pongal with Palm Sugar)
Sweet festival food which is traditionally made on Pongal or Navratri days.
Ingredients:
- Rice + moong dal
- Ground palm sugar candy
- Ghee
- Dry fruits
- Nutmeg & cardamom
- Instructions:
- Pressure to cook rice and dal together.
- Melt and sieve palm sugar candy.
- In a heated pan, mix all the ingredients with ghee and your choice of spices.
Tip: Replace millets with rice for a healthier one!
3. Palm Sugar Laddu (Panangal Kandam Laddu)
Organic palm sugar energy balls to seal the deal.
Ingredients:
- Roasted gram or millet flour
- Melted ghee
- Mashed panangal kandam
- Grated coconut or nuts
Instructions:
Melt palm sugar to syrup and mix with flour.
Roll small laddus while warm or hot.
Good for: Kids and festival gift tins.
4. Ela Ada with Palm Sugar
A classic Kerala treat, these steamed rice flour dumplings are filled with a delicious blend of grated coconut and palm sugar candy.
Ingredients:
- Rice flour
- Grated fresh coconut
- Broken palm sugar candy
- Cardamom
- Banana leaves
Instructions:
Mixture of coconut, palm sugar, and cardamom, mix.
Banana leaf dough, fill with mix, fold, steam.
Health & nostalgia snack: Super with tea time!
5. Palm Sugar Mysore Pak
Achieve soft and rich Mysore Pak by replacing white sugar with panangal kandam.
Ingredients:
- Besan (gram flour)
- Ghee
- Broken palm sugar
- Water
Instructions:
Fry besan in ghee until fragrant.
Prepare palm sugar syrup and add step by step.
Thick and set in a greased tray.
Tip for texture: Fine flour and continuous stirring always for a good result.
6. Palm Sugar Paniyaram
Spongy breakfast or snack using fermented batter.
Ingredients:
- Idli/dosa batter
- Strained melted palm sugar candy
- Grated coconut
- Cardamom
Instructions:
Mix melted palm sugar with batter.
Pour the batter into the appe pan and cook until golden brown on all sides.
Kid-friendly: Naturally sweet and easy to enjoy.
7. Palm Sugar Halwa
Sweet palm sugar candy ghee wheat flour pudding.
Ingredients:
- Palm sugar syrup
- Wheat flour
- Ghee
- Nuts and cardamom
Instructions:
Brown ghee and add flour.
Slowly add syrup and mix to thicken.
Add cardamom and sprinkle nuts.
Quick Tip: Use a low flame for a smooth, lump-free consistency.
Tips on How to Use Palm Sugar Candy Effectively
Crush before use to ensure quicker melting.
Strain syrup to get rid of impurities.
Use sparingly – palm sugar is sugar, only a better one.
Store in air-tight packets. Store in a cool dry place.
How to Buy Original Panangal Kandam?
Absolutely free from white sugar or chemical additives as filler material for all goods on offer.
See:
100% organic palm sugar sweetener
Dark brown or golden pieces free from processing
No whiteners or additives
Open source brand name groups
Select MegaVita Pure & Traditional Sweeteners
Bring us goodness of nature in its pure natural form at MegaVita. Purely organically tapped palm sap is the raw material that we use to make our panangal kandam (palm sugar candy) traditionally without adding anything to it except itself.
Either made to be sold as part of a ceremonial dessert or demanded to be made with something better than sugar, MegaVita’s palm sugar is sweeter, healthier, and cleaner.Treat yourself to natural sweetness with MegaVita – the best millet brand in india.