Thursday 10 July 2014

Kamarkat/Kamarkattu/Jaggery Balls/Jaggery Candies

If you would have doing your schooling during 80's or earlier in 90's you might have definitely crossed this chewy addictive kamarkats atleast once in your life. I tasted this jaggery candies aka Kamarkat for the first time when i was doing my 6th standard, i was totally tempted by the smell of jaggery syrup which pulled me to get this kamarkat from the petty shop situated in the corner of Gandhi street in Pondicherry.Every afternoon the vendor of this petty shop makes his fresh batch of Kamarkat.I still remember the owner of this shop was quite famous for this Kamarkats, he is very much known for this freshly made kamarkats among the Pondicherrians. Now this petty shop is still there but they dont do that fresh kamarkats now, even during my last India's trip, i went to that shop to get some fresh kamarkats but i was disappointed to find out some already prepared and packed kamarkats there.




This jaggery balls aka Kamarkat is my all time favourite,everytime my grandma visits us, she never forget to give us pocket money, i'll keep few paisas aside just to buy this addictive chewy balls whenever i cross this popular kamarkat shop. Am missing seriously all those nostalgic moments now. Eventhough Kamarkat is not very complicate to prepare at home am the one who craves for it, obviously i'll make once in the blue moon, when  this month's Friendship 5 Series, an event by Geetha and Savitha goes for Childhood memories series as theme, i prepared these kamarkats to satisfy my sweet tooth.


3/4cup Jaggery
1/4cup Coconut (grated)
1/4tsp Cardamom powder
pinch of Salt
Rice flour (for rolling the balls)

Dry roast the coconut in a pan until they turns slightly brown,keep aisde.

Heat the jaggery with 1/4cup water, melt it completely, strain this jaggery syrup and heat back in a heavy bottomed pan in medium flame.

Once the syrup becomes frothy,pour few drops of syrup in water, if you are able to roll it as ball, its a right time to add the roasted coconut.

Add the coconut,cardamom powder, mix well.

Once the mixture turns thick and leaves the side, put off the stove.

When the mixture is still warm, grease your hands with oil and make a tight balls.

Roll the balls in rice flour and keep aside.

Repeat the same process with the remaining mixture.

Conserve the candies in an air tightened box.

4 comments:

Sooriya said...

Looks very nice.....

great-secret-of-life said...

This brings back my school days memory.. We all save every cent to buy this candy .. Also we used to have "bite" to share among the friends.. Nice one

Unknown said...

Looks tasty and yummy!

Shoba said...

My granny used to make this for me..