Althaea officinalis Althaea officinalis Althaea officinalis, or marsh-mallow, is a perennial species indigenous to Europe, Western Asia, and North Africa, which is used in herbalism and as an ornamental plant. A confection made from the root since ancient Egyptian time evolved into today's marshmallow treat. The stems, which die down in the autumn, are erect , but can reach 6′6″ (2m), simple, or putting out only a few lateral branches. The leaves, shortly petioled, are roundish, ovate-cordate, long, and about 1 inch broad, entire or three to five lobed, irregularly toothed at the margin, and thick. They are soft and velvety on
Palm sugar sold in bottles or tins and tends to thicken and crystallize over time. The boiled sap can also be solidified and sold in the form of bricks or cakes. It can range in color from golden brown to dark brown or almost black, like Indonesian "gula aren". Palm sugar is an ingredient in both sweet and savoury dishes used throughout Asia, the Middle East and North Africa. Palm sugar is known in many names and many variants, depends on its ingredient, production method, or the region. It is known as "gula jawa" (Javanese sugar) in Indonesia, and "gula melaka" in