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Panela is an unrefined sugar extracted from sugar cane, popular in South America, Asia, and Southeast Asia. It is used in desserts and syrups, and is a basic industry in Colombia. It can be produced on a large commercial scale or made by local farmers. It is commonly grated into a coarse powder to make the popular drink aguapanela. In savory cooking, it is used to sweeten a dish called mazamorra.
Panela is a type of unrefined sugar that is extracted from sugar cane and popular in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Many countries in South America, Asia and Southeast Asia use this unrefined sugar, where it is also called rapadura (Brazil), piloncillo (Mexico), jaggery or gurh (India). “Panela” is closely associated with Colombian cuisine. Commonly sold in flat hard cakes, it is cheap and readily available to most Colombians. It is mostly used in desserts and syrups, including a drink called aguapanela which is very popular in the region. Unrefined sugar is also one of the basic industries in Colombia, which is the second largest producer of whole unrefined cane sugar in the world after India.
Panela blocks can be produced on a large commercial scale, or they can be made simply and slowly by local farmers. Commercially, the process begins with harvesting the sugar cane which is then crushed to extract the juice from the stalks. The juice is cleaned and heated while the ingredients are added to remove some impurities. When purified sugarcane liquid is heated, it reduces to a concentrated form. This concentrate is mixed until it begins to crystallize and is then ready for packaging, where it will harden into its final state as panela.
A method used by local farmers is much simpler. Farmers use mills to extract liquid from sugar cane. They filter it by hand, then pour it into large containers. Instead of heating the liquid, it can condense slowly through natural evaporation. The final product is then packaged and sold, sometimes carrying an organic designation.
Hard blocks of panela are usually grated into a coarse powder which can be used to make the popular drink aguapanela. This is a mixture of unrefined sugar and water that is heated until the sugar dissolves completely. Panela imparts a very dark, coffee-like color to sugar water. Lemon or lime can usually be added to the drink, but chunks of cheese can also be dropped when served hot. Adding cloves or clove powder and cinnamon sticks transforms aguapanela into another popular drink known as melado.
In savory cooking, panela can be used to prepare a side dish called mazamorra. This is a bowl of corn that has been cooked to a mush. Along with the milk, panela is added to the mush to sweeten it. Mazamorra can be served as a side dish or as a midday snack.
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