Palm Syrup

A sweet dark mixture made from the sap of the date palm tree. Referred to as "sweet toddy" the sap is boiled down to produce palm syrup and palm sugar. To keep from damaging the tree, sap is removed only at certain times of the year from palm trees that have matured to over 30 years of age. This syrup is a common ingredient in Asian and Indian cooking, providing a sticky textured product that is added to puddings, desserts, breads, and a variety of foods as a sweetener.