Sugar cravings are something we all experience from time to time. We never know when the urge to consume a sweet treat will strike. In the past, the best way to quell this hankering was to break off a sugar cane stem, rip off the tough skin with your teeth, bite off and chew the juicy flesh until all flavour was gleaned, then spit out the pulp.
Sugar cane was an indigenous crop grown along riparian lands by Kenya’s agrarian communities. As Indians migrated and settled in East Africa, they sought ways to keep their culture alive. One of the delicacies they wanted to keep consuming was jaggery, a dessert made from sugar cane juice. This led to the commercialization of sugar cane and the introduction of new varieties in the region. Arable farmlands in Western Kenya and the hot and humid climate made it conducive for large-scale sugar cane growing. As a result, jaggery, or sukari nguru as it is locally known, became integrated into Kenyan cuisines.
From Cane to Confectionery
To make sukari nguru, harvested sugar cane is run through a mill to extract its juice. Research suggests that two and a half kilograms of sugar cane make one kilogram of sukari nguru. Once the juice is collected, it is strained to remove any bagasse in the liquid. The juice is then boiled, traditionally in an open pan, until it reduces into a concentrated syrup. Colourwise, this syrup ranges from a golden amber to a deep brown; it is determined by the amount of sucrose contained in the sugar cane variety.
Once cool, the syrup is transferred to molds to crystallize and harden. The result is a solid chunk of sukari nguru. Very little is done to adulterate the sugar cane juice as is evident from the production process. This makes sukari nguru a simpler and quicker alternative to chewing sugar cane stalks.
Sukari nguru is very inexpensive, it sells for as little as Kshs. 10 in small kiosks and open-air markets. A small piece of this dessert can go a long way in satiating any sweet tooth. The small sugar cubes are mostly consumed by themselves but can also be incorporated into recipes as sweeteners. Ukwaju makers have been known to use them as sugar substitutes when making the tart tamarind juice.
Let us know, when was the last time you had this finger-licking good dessert?
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