Date Palm Molasses (Khejur Gur)

From late October, gachhis (sap collectors) in Bagha, Charghat and Puthia climb date palms each evening to tap the trunks and hang clay pots. At dawn the sap is drunk fresh or boiled in wide pans over wood fires until it thickens into liquid jhola gur or sets into solid patali cakes. The flavour is deep and caramel-like, and it goes into winter pithas and payesh. Visiting a boiling yard on a misty morning is a classic Rajshahi winter experience.

Good to know

Buy from producers you can see boiling the sap; some market gur is mixed with sugar. Health officials advise against drinking raw sap because of Nipah virus risk.

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