Monday, November 30, 2009

Mixed fruit jam (natural)

Some days back I had some fruits left behind while making a salad. Hated to leave all those cuties loose their color and simply chill in the refrigerator. How about a JAM...just like my homeland's kissan mixed fruit jam. I am sure no other jam in the world can charm me like this old fashioned Indian kissan jam. I am obsessed with that jam, but still wanted to do it.

The ingredient to get a perfect glossy jam is the pectin (available in stores in powder form). The problem was , I couldn't get the preservatives and gel bases at that late hour. Some thing sparked me....why shouldn't I make my own pectin? Then I searched for the natural pectin sources and to my surprise it can be an apple or any citus fruit. I just crushed an apple along with 1/2 a can of pineapple and got my base.

So here is a jam without any artificial preservative or store bought pectin. This one will resemble that kissan mixed fruit jam, but still I love that store bought one also very much:) Anyways I got 2 bottles of jam and a lot of satisfaction too. Hope you all like it.





Ingredients:
(Any combination of fruit 3 cups)
Raspberry - 1/2 cup
pomegranate - 1/2 cup
pear - 1 cup
seedless grapes - 10
apple - 1 (1 cup) ......(MUST)
(The natural pectin in the apple is used as a base to make the jam)
pineapple - 1/2 can (1 cup)
water - 1/2 cup
sugar - 3/4 cup

Method:
Bring water to boil along with raspberry , pomegranate or any small fruit of your choice. Mash gently with a ladle.
Coarsely grind the fruit chunks like apple , pear and pineapple together.
Mix all the fruits , sugar and cook till the jam gets a thick consistency.

It will thicken perfectly in about 20 minutes. So keep stirring occasionally in low flame.

Mixed fruit jam is ready.

Store in dry container and keep refrigerated.

Serving suggestions:

Wash the glass bottle (or any container) with hot water and dry completely before filling. I dried it overnight:)
Let the jam cool completely and stock them up.
Great to go with breads or yogurt, cake or ice cream topping.

22 comments:

Sushma Mallya said...

sounds simple, didnt know it was so easy to prepare home made jam,looks like a the one which v get in stores....nice one viki,thanks for sharing

Sailaja Damodaran said...

Didn't know jam making was so easy.......yummy on bread

prasu said...

wow....home made jam lovely.....sure will give a try and let u know the outcome.

Gita Jaishankar said...

Jam sounds so delicious Viki...easy to prepare...I have never tried making jam before...I think I am going to give it a try dear...using your recipe :)...I too love kissan jam, brings back so many childhood memories for me too :)

Anupama said...

Seems like a very simple recipe Viki... I've always liked the mixed fruit kissan jam as opposed to any jam of a single fruit alone

Priya Suresh said...

Nothing will beat homemade jams...looks prefect and gorgeous, very colourful..

Sanghi said...

wow... delicious perfect homemade jam viki..! If you wish send this to my FIL-Fruits event da!

sahiti said...

Perfect looking jam..just like the store bought one.How did you get that colour Viki?
Apple and pineapple need not be cooked in water before adding sugar?

Nandinis food said...

Home- made jam looks perfect and gorgeous. Is that bottle for me?

Cham said...

I have made preserve but without pectin is a good recipe!

Tina said...

Sounds delicious and easyyyyy.

Unknown said...

oh thats so good..will try using apple now..i think the other option is papaya..

gtyuk said...

100% fruit jam with homemade pectin, hmmmm, hats off Viki!!!

I think even the kissan jam wouldn't contain 100% fruits as they add more gelatin to it!! nice work!!!

Soma Pradhan said...

Lovely jam..Please pass me some to put on my bread

Vikis Kitchen said...

Thank you friends:)
Sahiti: Thanks for liking the jam dear. I didn't expect this lovely color before, but the unique combination of raspberry and pomegranate (seedless) could have given that color ....I guess:)
I didn't cook the apple before adding sugar. Actually you can add the sugar and apple puree once the smaller fruits get cooked and mashed. Hope its clear.
Sowmya: Thanks dear.May be papaya can do the same gel..but I have not tried it . so please lemme know if you get through that.
Sanghi: Thanks dear. I will definitely send this to your event.

Saju Sharfu said...

wow..this looks so wonderful...didnt know that it was easy to make jams at home.will try it one day.

Sarah Naveen said...

oh wow!!! yummy yummy...thanx dea..for sharing such an easy recipe..

Malar Gandhi said...

Lovely clicks, this one sure resembles that kissan jam. Good that no preservatives added. Yes most of the fruits have pectin and thats kool to choose them.:)

Saraswathy Balakrishnan said...

Wow Viki these home-made jam looks so delicious..hope u had a wonderful Thanksgiving hon...

my kitchen said...

Delicious one,want to try

Immaculate Divya Bruno Sathyan said...

Dear friend,
I prepared ur fruit jam using blackberry (16 oz),grapes10,
And 1apple it tasted just like kissan jam and I didn't add water thank u so much for this wonderful jam as I don't like jams which we get here, u r awesome!!!!

Vikis Kitchen said...

Dear Divya, Thanks for the lovely words. Like the combination you did.....I will also try that. Black berry and grapes will definitely give a perfect color. But keep them refrigerated and use dry spoon only. Mine lasted for 1 month. Wish you too start a blog, so that we all could enjoy your recipes too:)

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