I blindly have an impression that a jam is always by default - a mixed fruit jam. Because I always go for a mixed fruit kissan jam though there are special jams from solo fruits, which I have never bothered to buy. The visual appeal of a jam, as per me is convincing only if it is dark red in colour :P Having the same thought, I started making this mixed fruit jam and then realized at a point that, the colour depends on the combination of the fruits, unless otherwise a specific artificial colouring agent is used !!!
Some of our friends, when they visited our house during Golu, brought in a variety of fruits, which kindled my interest to try a mixed fruit jam. So here comes the recipe without any preservatives or artificial colours.
Prep Time: 20 mins || Cook Time: 40 mins || Yields: 2 jars + little more || Category: Jam / Fruit Jam
Ingredients:
1. Very ripe banana - 2
2. Grapes (red/green) - 25
3. Red Apple - 1 or 2
4. Green Apple - 1
5. Pear - 1
6. Strawberry - 12 to15
7. Sugar - 200 gms (may vary as per the fruits used)
8. Lemon juice - 1 tbsp (optional)
Method:
1. Wash all the fruits and chop them roughly.
2. Grind the fruits in a blender into a smooth paste in batches without adding water. Can add a spoon of sugar if desired.
3. Mix all the fruit pulp in a saucepan and heat it in medium flame for 10 mins.
4. Add sugar and mix well. Cook in medium flame for 15-20 mins with periodical stirring.
5. After a while, scum (froth) starts to form on the surface after the added sugar dissolves.
6. Remove the formed scum periodically and discard it. Continue boiling in medium flame for 10 more mins. The mixture will turn slightly glossy and start spluttering vigorously. At this stage test the consistency of the jam by spreading it in a plate taken from freezer. If it does not ooze down and stands sticky and still, that is the right consistency. If not, boil for few more mins and then switch off the flame.
Suggestions:
- Any combination of fruits can be used, based on the availability.
- If adding lemon juice, it is better to add after switching off the flame and the heat has subsided a little. Otherwise lemon juice will add a bitter taste to the jam when heated for a long time.
- I have skipped lemon juice, as the pectin in the fruits will act as preservative & also as I will consume the jam within a short period.
- Citric acid can also be added instead of lemon juice for preservation.
- Can add a small piece of beetroot while grinding the fruits, for a bright red colour.
- The amount of sugar varies as per the sweetness of the fruits used.
- Can also use artificial food colour too.
I enjoyed the artificial colouring agent free, preservative-free, gelatin-free home made jam with bread, roti and variety of other foods :)
It has been my longtime wish to prepare some fruit jam at home. About more than a decade back, we had tried making jam at home with some brand's Ready-to-make Jam sachet. I guess it was Kissan spreadmaker or something. Making a jam at home was thought to be something very complicated or close to impossible thing those days :)
A good factor of trying it at home is that we can make it with fresh fruits; adding no chemical preservatives & above all without gelatin or other such ingredients which might otherwise be present in some store bought Jams.
Above all these is that accomplished feel :P of having made it from scratch at home !!!
I have used Pectin, a natural preservative which is found in large quantities in Pears, apples, guavas, quince, plums, gooseberries, oranges, and other citrus fruits. Adding pectin is to maintain natural glossiness in colour and give a rich texture to jams or jellies which would otherwise be simply sweet juices. Adding pectin allows us to cook jam in a much shorter time and preserve the fresh flavour of the fruit.
Prep Time: 10 mins || Cook Time: 35 mins || Yields: 250gm || Category: Jam
Ingredients:
1. Strawberries - 150gm (finely chopped)
2. Apple - 1 medium sized
3. Lemon - 1 small
4. Sugar - 100 gm
Method:
1. Hull the strawberries (remove the top most crown or green stem from the fruit). Grind a medium sized un-peeled apple with little water and Extract juice from its pulp.
2. Transfer the extracted apple juice to a pan & boil it for 3-5 mins along with a spoon of sugar and lemon juice. (This process is done to extract pectin from apple).
3. Add the finely chopped strawberries to the pectin and stir well. Cook until it becomes little frothy.
4. At this stage add sugar and stir till it dissolves.Cook for about 5 mins in medium flame.
5. After the pectin has blended well with the strawberry pulp, the colour of the paste will turn into glossy and dark in colour.Keep stirring until it reduces in volume.
6. Keep a plate in the freezer for 5 mins and take it out. To check for the right consistency of the jam, pour a little jam on the plate and wipe down the jam with a finger. It should be sticky and should not move back when the plate is tilted. For a double check, move a larger portion of the jam with the laddle towards one side. It should move as a sticky whole mass revealing the base of the pan for a few seconds. At this stage, switch off the flame and cool down the jam.
Store the jam in air-tight container and keep refrigerated until and after every use. The jam should keep well for 10-15 days. (or may be even more, but it used to get over within 6 or 7 days :P at my home. So i do not have an idea how far it lasts :P )
