Palm sugar or popularly known as gula melaka in Malaysia is commonly used in Malaysian sweet heavenly desserts.
It is used in onde-onde, sweet sauce for kuih lopes, creamy puddings and many more. So sweet and yummy!
Why is it delicious for our health and is palm sugar really that healthy for us?
Are There Any Health Benefits to Palm Sugar?
The sap from coconut palm plants is used to make palm sugar. It is a common ingredient in Southeast Asian and African cooking thanks to its mellow caramel flavour.
Because palm sugar is produced with minimal processing and no added chemicals, it is considered a healthier option than conventional sweeteners.
It preserves a high quantity of plant-based vitamins and minerals that might assist your health because it is unprocessed.
In comparison to other sweeteners, palm sugar has a low glycemic index, which means it is less likely to cause blood sugar to spike and crash.
While further research is needed, several studies indicate that palm sugar may be a good alternative sweetener for diabetics.
Nutritional Information
One tablespoon of palm sugar contains:
- Calories: 54
- Protein: 0 grams
- Fat: 0 grams
- Carbohydrates: 15 grams
- Fiber: 0 grams
- Sugar: 15 grams
Palm sugar is a good source of:
- Potassium
- Phosphorus
- Zinc
- Iron
- Copper
Well, now you know that palm sugar makes the perfect ingredient in desserts for everyone. Its sweet taste really suits our Malaysian sweet tooth!
If you want to make some sweet dessert for your family, you should definitely try this Agar-Agar Lumut Gula Melaka from this lovely lady, @amyzayu.
Here’s how you can cook this recipe:
Agar-Agar Lumut Gula Melaka
Ingredients
- 1 packet gelatin powder
- 2 eggs
- 1000 ml water
- 1 tsp vanilla essence optional
- 200 ml M&S Coconut Milk
- 2 pcs palm sugar
- 2 pcs pandan leaves
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
- Pour 1 box(200ml) of M&S Coconut Milk and 2 eggs into a bowl and mix it well. You don't have to mix it until it turns foamy.
- Set aside for a while.
- Heat 1000ml of water and then add in palm sugar and pandan leaves. Cook until the palm sugar dissolves.
- Then add the gelatin powder and cook until it's boiling.
- Then add the mixture of coconut milk and egg, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
- Cook with slow heat first and then slowly bring the heat up until the mixture boils and looks like moss (lumut).
- Turn off the heat and remove the pandan leaves and put the agar-agar in the mold of your choice.
- Leave it cool to room temperature and put it in the fridge for 2-3 hours before it is ready to be served.
Imagine that you are eating this mouthwatering dessert during your teatime with your loved ones, on a hot sunny day.
I bet you that they will ask for more! As they said, “Dessert doesn’t go to the stomach. Dessert goes to the heart.”