Winters in Bengal are incomplete without the sweet taste of gur. Be it the cubes of patali or the liquid jhola, the gooey, sticky date-palm jaggery has to feature in mealtimes and people wait for the fresh batches of gur every season. This quintessential delicacy is especially popular during Makar Sankranti or Poush Parbon when the winter-time pithe — an array of regional sweets made with a mix of rice flour, coconut and gur in various combinations — is a must-have in Bengali households. every household of Bengal.
Thanks to a few resourceful entrepreneurs, this seasonal sweet can be delivered to your doorstep from online stores. To celebrate the flavour of the season, here’s My Kolkata’s handy list of where you can buy gur online.
Amar Khamar
The Amar Khamar store in Dhakuria (and now Hindustan Road) also has an online store, which sells jhola gur from three regions in Bengal — North and South 24 Parganas and Medinipur. All the varieties are available in glass containers of 200ml.
The khejur gur from South 24 Parganas retains slightly fruity notes with a hint of acidity, and the sweetness hits you later but lingers on. The one from Medinipur is a thicker concoction with a mellow texture, not like the regular liquid jhola gur. The North 24 Parganas is variety is much darker, and perfect for winter desserts. Unlike the regular jhola, this one has a slightly grainy texture.
Price: Rs 180 - 220
Order at: www.amar-khamar.com
Bong Haat
The gur sold by Bong Haat comes from four districts in Bengal — Purulia, Nadia, Bankura, and South 24 Parganas, and their prices of gur have remained unchanged for the last three years.
The solid patali gur is available in 1kg packs, while the nolen gur comes in 600gm pack — with an additional 100gm free as a Sankranti offer.
Price: From Rs 435
Order at: bonghaat.com
Kwidi
The date palm jaggery of the Kwidi store is made in Santhal villages near Bankura. The earthy flavour works very well in desserts, salads and glazes, giving it a signature taste. Kwidi sells jhola gur 1kg, 650gm and 300gm jars.
Price: Rs 200 - 500
Order at: kwidi.in
The Bengal Store
Also sourced from the farmers of Bengal, The Bengal Store’s stocks both jhola and patali varieties of gur. While the molten nolen gur comes in jars of 450gm, the patali is available in packs of 400gm.
Price: Rs 350 for jhola, Rs 360 for patali
Order at: www.thebengalstore.com