As the cold season approaches, the use of jaggery increases in homes. Be it adding jaggery in tea, making sesame-jaggery laddus or making sweets with jaggery, they are used extensively in every household. But a big problem is that in winter, jaggery hardens very quickly and becomes like stone. In such a situation, it becomes very difficult to break and use it. Often people think that jaggery becomes hard due to cold air, but in reality this happens due to not being stored properly.
Both moisture and air work to harden the jaggery.
If you want your jaggery to remain soft and smooth for a long time, then this problem can be easily solved by adopting some easy home tricks. For this you do not need to do any special effort, it is just necessary to store it in the right place and in the right way.
Right way to store jaggery (How To Store Jaggery To Keep It Soft In Winter)-
Use of airtight container- The first and most important thing is to always keep jaggery in an airtight container. Both moisture and air work to harden the jaggery. Glass or steel container is better instead of plastic. Try to ensure that the box is completely dry and there is no moisture in it.
Use of bay leaves, cloves, lemon- While storing jaggery, keep bay leaves, dry lemon peel or 2-3 cloves with it. These things work to absorb moisture and maintain the freshness of the jaggery. Especially bay leaves and cloves are considered very effective. These measures have been adopted since the time of our grandmothers.
Keep in small pieces- If the jaggery is lumpy or ground, it is better to break it into small pieces and store it. By keeping a large piece, moisture accumulates inside it, due to which it starts hardening quickly. Keeping it in small pieces reduces air circulation and the jaggery remains soft for a long time.
Store in the right place- Choosing the right place for storage is also very important. Always keep jaggery in a cool and dry place, but not in the refrigerator. The moisture in the refrigerator can make the jaggery harder. It is best to keep it in a kitchen cupboard, away from the stove, in a dry and clean place.
Wrap in cloth- If your jaggery has already become hard, there is no need to panic. There is an easy way to soften it. Wrap the hard jaggery in a clean cloth and steam it for some time. In a few minutes the jaggery will start becoming soft again and will break easily.
Use of microwave- If jaggery is needed immediately, heat it lightly in the microwave for 5–10 seconds. Due to this, jaggery becomes soft quickly and starts breaking easily. Keep in mind not to heat for too long, otherwise the jaggery may melt.
Take good quality jaggery- While buying jaggery, pay attention to its color. Light golden or brown colored jaggery is considered better. Try that the jaggery should not be completely dry, but should be slightly soft. Jaggery that is too dry becomes hard quickly, hence avoid taking such jaggery.
By adopting these small home tricks, you can save your jaggery from turning into stones even in winter and can use it daily without any hassle.
