Palm sugar

Palm sugar is a sap from palm tree flowers like date, coconut or sugar palm. It is used in many cuisines in tropical countries, like Thailand, Indonesia, India.

It is a bit less sweet than a brown sugar and it has caramel flavour. If you do not have it, substitute with brown sugar. If you decide to substitute it with white sugar, not only, that you have to use much less white sugar, as it is much sweeter than a palm sugar, but the dish will miss the specific caramel flavour.

Recipes with palm sugar: Indonesian fried tempeh with sweet sauce, Thai water spinach in a coconut sauce, Indonesian chicken satay, Indonesian salad Rujak.

To buy palm sugar US, UK, Europe

  • palm sugar sold on market in Lombok island, Indonesia
  • palm sugar in coconut leaves sold on market in Lombok island, Indonesia