With Sankranti here, stalks of sugarcane can be seen piled up in shops or carts in city’s markets. If you are a fan of the juicy crop but the chewing tires you out, here are some other delicacies that can be made out of sugarcane.
Sugarcane Granita
The Italian semi-frozen dessert gets a desi makeover by adding a tang of lemon and a spike of ginger. Take a mixture of half a tablespoon of lemon juice and ginger juice with some sugar and sugarcane juice and freeze it for around five hours. Once it is firm, take it out from the freezer, and after a few minutes, scrape it out with a fork and serve. You could add some mint leaves to it before you serve it.
Sugarcane Popsicle
Another way to beat the summer heat is by licking on a sugarcane popsicle. Add ginger powder and double its amount of lemon juice to sugarcane juice. Mix the solution well, pour it into moulds and freeze them. Imagine your child’s delight when you hand him/her a popsicle when they are back from the playground.
Sweet Potato with Jaggery Syrup
Cut the sweet potatoes into desired sizes and shapes and boil them. Let them turn soft; in the meanwhile, melt the jaggery by adding it to some water in a hot kadai. Filter the syrup and boil it again. Add the boiled sweet potatoes to the syrup and cook till the solution turns thick. You could also add some cardamom for flavour while the syrup boils.
Sugarcane Juice Dosa
Boil half a cup of sugarcane juice in a pan and add some powdered jaggery. Let it dissolve. Strain the juice and add a cup of wheat flour, half a cup of rice powder, a couple of pinches of cardamom powder and ginger powder. Mix well to make a consistent batter. You could also choose to add some finely grated coconut to the mixture before mixing it.
Don’t forget to add some ghee in the pan before you spread the batter.
Sugarcane Juice Kheer
Boil some sugarcane juice in a pan with cardamom and raisin. When the juice boils, add soaked rice and stir it well on low flame. Continue stirring until the desired consistency is reached. Add some dry fruits of your choice while stirring. Serve, cold or hot. PS: Serve the dish in earthen pots for brownie points.