KING OF SUGAR CANDY

We all love sugar candy, people of all age groups love it but there is a sugar candy from Tamil Nadu which is the best sugar candy. That candy is called as Kovilpatti Kadalai Mittai. This candy is made with peanuts, jaggery and water and after cutting it is sprinkled with coconut dyed in red, pink and green colour.  

Kovilpatti Kadalai Mittai got GI tag in April 2020, it got its GI tag after five years.

WHAT IS GI TAG?

Geographical indication or GI tag is given is to specific products which belongs to particular geographic location, it ensures that no one can use the product name if it is not from the specific geographic location or authorised user.

Darjeeling tea was then first Indian product to get GI tag.

THE STORY SO FAR

Sugar candy is made in India from so many years. There was a grocery store owner in town named Mr Ponnambala Nadar, he thought of making this candy with such specific ingredients and traditionally it was made in round shapes but he decided to make it in rectangular shape. 

WHAT MAKES IT UNIQUE?

This candy includes only three ingredients which are peanuts, jaggery and water. But all this three ingredients are unique.

GROUNDNUTS

This ground nuts are sourced carefully from a town named Aruppukottai, a distinctive characteristic of this ground nut is that it is grown in native black soil.

JAGGERY

The jaggery used in making this candy is organic, while the normal jaggery is brown, hard and sold in round shape, this jiggery is of pale colour, soft and sold in triangular blocks.

This jiggery is called as Theni Jaggery.

WATER

To make this candy normal tap water is not used but instead water from Thamirabarani River is used, it is said that water from this river naturally enhances the taste of candy.

HOW IT IS MADE?

The production process of this is very simple, first the peanut is roasted and then skin is removed, and a syrup is made from water and jaggery, then peanuts is added to it, after that whole mixture is spread and cut into rectangular shape and sprinkled with dyed coconut.

THE FUTURE

Now the candy has got its GI tag, now it’s our responsibility to take this candy globally, by promoting it. None of the product become popular overnight, it became popular because the local people were having their pride in that and took it to global level.