Country Sugar (Nattu Sarkkarai)

Country sugar is sugarcane juice reduced and crystallised without the sulphur, bleaching agents or clarifiers that white sugar goes through. What you get is a soft golden-brown crystal that still tastes of cane, with the molasses left in rather than stripped out and sold separately.

It behaves like ordinary sugar in the kitchen — use it one-for-one in coffee, tea, payasam, halwa and baking. The colour will carry through, so pale sweets will turn a light caramel shade, which is normal and not a fault.

Gluten free and free of additives. Keep it in a sealed container; because nothing anti-caking has been added, it can clump in humid weather. Break up any lumps with a dry spoon.