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Tale of date molasses

Billal Hossen || risingbd.com

Published: 15:20, 20 January 2021  
Tale of date molasses

Winter has come with the change of days. It is a time of change in people's lives. Winter is really the beginning of the Nabanna festival. The smell of eating pitha-puli spreads in every village.

In modern times, winter cakes are now found at street corners. In fact, the most memorable food in winter is date molasses. Although date juice is not available in all districts, date juice is available in some districts of South Bengal in winter.

The highest production of date juice is in Jessore, Chuadanga, Jhenaidah, Faridpur, Madaripur, Shariatpur, Kushtia, and Magura districts. While crossing the Dhaka-Khulna highway, rows, and rows of date palms were seen on the side of the road. By the 1940s, the industry had spread rapidly in the greater Faridpur district. Which has brought fame to these districts in date juice production.

Date juice is mainly extracted from date palms. The leaves and stalks at the very top of the tree stem are cleaned towards the end of Agrahayan before collecting the sap. The soft part of the stem is removed with a sharp knife or scraper.

After seven to eight days it is re-cleaned or shaved. In the cleaned part, small holes are made and bamboo pipes are buried. So that the juice can come out in the tube. Then two poles are buried on either side of the tube which is used for hanging earthen pots.

The barrier rope in the pot is tied to two poles and hung along the tube so that the juice flows straight through the tube into the pot. The juice is divided into three parts based on the duration of juice extraction, namely, Jiraan, Dokat, and Jhara juice. Squeeze the juice that is available on the first night.

Thus, the juice that is available on the second and third day is called Dokat and Jhara juice. The amount of date juice depends on the weather. If the weather is cold and clean, the juice is more. Although juice extraction starts in November, the highest amount of juice is available in January.

Those who collect date juice and cut down trees are called Ganchi. This person collects the juice every morning and bring it to the pot. The juice is then strained. The filtered juice is poured into a large tin or pan or tafala and given fuel.

In this way, the juice becomes thicker as you continue to burn. If it is denser, it is called Jhola molasses. In addition, different shapes of Pataligur are made with these thick molasses.

According to the type of molasses, this molasses is divided into Jhola molasses, Danagur, Pataligur and Chitagur. Date juice and molasses are very tasty. This molasses is used to make a variety of traditional cakes or dishes in our country which are incomparable in taste and smell.

Some of the foods are vapapitha, payes, kheer, dudh chitui pitha, dudh puli pitha, palm pitha, molasses jilapi, semai, sherbat, molasses tea etc. However, the best food made with this molasses in Bangladesh is steamed cake.

As soon as the new paddy grows in the farmer's house, steamed pitha is made with that rice. Sitting by the oven on a foggy morning or on a cold night is like eating the steamed cake in your mother's hand is the best love in the world.

In addition, in the winter, a small bhapa pitha shop is set up in the alleys of the city from where the people of the city also satisfy their cravings. This molasses is as delicious as it is nutritious. Some important nutrients are highlighted.

Most of the time in winter the skin is uneven. According to experts, regular consumption of these molasses will increase the radiance of the skin and the skin will be smooth. Because it contains various vitamins and minerals. People who have rashes and acne on their face can also eat this molasses.

Who has been suffering from constipation for a long time? This molasses is a great solution for them. If one consumes molasses regularly, the enzymes used in the digestive process in his body will be activated and the elimination process will be accelerated so that constipation will be reduced easily. A piece of patali after lunch will easily solve this serious problem for you.

This molasses acts as a natural cleanser for the body. Eating it regularly helps to get rid of toxins present in our liver. So it can be said that these molasses detoxify our liver.

Winter actually increases the incidence of pneumonia, flu, cold, cough, and fever. The solution to all these problems is molasses. If one eats a piece of date molasses with lukewarm water, all the problems related to cold will be removed in an instant. Moreover, you can eat these molasses instead of sugar with tea.

These molasses contain natural antioxidants and minerals such as zinc and selenium that soothe your body's free radicals and reduce the risk of serious diseases such as cancer. Above all, it plays a special role in boosting the body's immune system.

Pregnant women, in particular, suffer from a disease called anemia. This disease mainly occurs when the body is deficient in iron and folic acid. This molasses contains a lot of iron and folate which are the main compounds for making hemoglobin which is the main component of blood. The more hemoglobin is produced, the more blood will be produced in the body. As a result, anemia will be eliminated.

There are many who work in overly contaminated areas. This molasses is a natural cleanser for cleansing their body. These molasses remove contaminated waste from their bodies.

One of the most important minerals in this molasses is potassium which will help you to control your weight. As a result, you will get relief from obesity. So you can understand how nutritious this traditional food is.

We need to act from the grass-root level to retain this valuable heritage. Let’s stand beside “Ganchi” and helps to sustain date molasses.

 

Billal Hossen studies Applied Nutrition and Food Technology at the Islamic University

IU/Mahfuz