Palm sugar is made by tapping the flower stalks of palmyra, date or coconut palms and boiling the sap into a thick syrup that sets into pale tan discs or blocks. Thai nam tan peep is soft and fudgy; Malaysian gula melaka and Indonesian gula jawa are darker and firmer; Indian jaggery is often made from the same sap or from cane. Coconut sugar is the granulated version sold in Western health-food aisles. All taste of caramel, butterscotch and a little smoke, with less sharp sweetness than white sugar, which is why Thai green curry, pad thai sauce, som tam dressing and Vietnamese kho caramel rely on them.

How to buy

For Thai and Vietnamese recipes buy the soft paste in a plastic tub or the round discs in a bag; they melt more easily than hard blocks. Check that the label says palm or coconut sugar only, because cheaper brands cut it with cane sugar. Look for Thai brands (Aroy-D, Cock, Chef's Choice) at Asian grocers, or coconut sugar from Madhava, Big Tree Farms or Trader Joe's in any US supermarket. A 1 lb tub is around four dollars and lasts months.

How to store

Keep it sealed at room temperature away from humidity; it lasts indefinitely, though soft paste slowly hardens as it dries. If a disc turns rock-hard, microwave it for 10–20 seconds or grate it with a box grater. Do not refrigerate it, since condensation makes it weep and mold. Granulated coconut sugar behaves like brown sugar and stays loose in an airtight jar.

Substitutes

  • Light brown sugar, 1:1 – closest common swap; a touch sweeter and lacking the smoky note.
  • Coconut sugar for Thai palm sugar, 1:1 – nearly identical flavor, just granulated instead of soft.
  • Maple syrup or honey, 3/4 the amount – adds caramel depth but extra liquid, so reduce other liquids.
  • White sugar, 3/4 the amount – sweetens fine but tastes flat; add a few drops of molasses if you have it.

How to use

Measure it by weight or pack the soft paste into a spoon; a tablespoon is about 15 g. Dissolve it in a little warm water or fish sauce before adding to a dressing so it does not stay gritty, or chop hard discs finely so they melt into the curry. Add it after the curry paste has fried and taste against fish sauce and lime: Thai cooking wants sweet, salty and sour in balance, not sugar dominating.

By · Updated