Hello everyone!
A while ago, I wrote a piece on making jam and I thought you might be interested in reading about it, and possibly making it? I'm writing this from Bangalore where it is sunny with a nip in the air- the sort of weather where you look out the window and decide not to carry a shawl or sweater, but regret five minutes after stepping out. As it happens, it's also the kind of weather that's conducive to jam-making. The smell that fills the kitchen when cooking the fruit is in itself worth the process, but the glistening, deep red jam, both tart and sweet and infinitely more complex than anything that you can buy at a store, will make you really really glad you didn't listen to your mother and used 1 kilo of plum, unlike the 1/2 she had suggested.
Plum Jam
Makes 1 litre (4 cups)
Method:
Wash and cut the plums into quarters, removing the stones.
In a large pot, bring the plums and water to a boil.
Reduce heat and allow the mixture to simmer for an hour with the lid on.
Add the sugar and lime juice and stir until the sugar dissolves. Bring the mixture to a boil without covering and stir for 15 minutes.
Turn off heat and do the jam test mentioned in the text. If it hasn’t jelled, let the mixture boil for a few more minutes and then repeat.
Pour the jam into bottles that have been sterilised*.
*To sterilise bottles, place them in a saucepan filled with water and bring to a boil. Let it boil for 20 minutes, remove from the pan and let it air dry.
Ingredients:
1 kg ripe plums
2 cups water
3 cups granulated sugar
2 tbsp lime juice