Plum Jam

Avvi loves jams and enjoys all the different fruit jams that I keep experimenting with, though strawberry remains an all-time favourite with us. Infact, Avvi prefers jams to ketchup, so we are always stacked with few bottles at home. I believe homemade jams are a better option than the store bought for kids, as we can cut down on additives, artificial colours and flavours.  I too like to fill jam between the cake layers, as it adds a different note to the flavour profile. So, this is a must have in our pantry.

Plum jam is so rich in colour and tastes amazing. It has a bit of tang which we prefer than a totally sweet jam. They are currently in season here in Mumbai and what better way to preserve some plum goodness. This is an absolute no fuss easy recipe without removing the skin or adding pectin.

750 gms Ripe plums

Sugar as mentioned in the recipe

Lemon juice as mentioned in the recipe

 

Wash the plums and pat them dry. Place them in a steel cooker with water just enough to cover the fruit till one fourth level. Do not worry about adding more water. If you add more water you may require boiling the mixture for some extra time, that’s it.

Cook the plums in the pressure cooker for until the one whistle blows and then turn off the heat. Let it cool and the open the cooker.

Remove and deseed the fruits one by one and mash them slightly along with the water it was boiled in. Measure this pulp. I got two and half cups of pulp. Transfer the pulp back to the steel cooker.

For every cup of pulp add a cup of granulated sugar. Add 1 teaspoon of lemon juice for each cup of pulp.

Mix the pulp, sugar and lime juice and turn on the heat. Let the mixture boil and then reduce the heat. Then reduce the heat and keep the mixture bubbly and let it simmer in the open pan. Keep stirring occasionally.

When the mixture starts coating the back of the spoon, take a blob of the mixture in a plate and place it in the freezer for five minutes. If the consistency of the mixture is jam like after five mins in the freezer then your jam is ready.

Pour into sterilised glass containers. You can use the water bath method to can these. I sterilise empty clean bottles in oven at 100 degrees celcius for ten mins. Then pour the hot jam into the jars and close the lids. Keep an inch empty from the brim while filling the jars.

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Masala Peanuts (no frying)

It’s been pouring in Mumbai. I do not enjoy getting wet, but sure like to look out of the window from the comfort and warmth of my house. Add a steaming hot cup of tea with a dash of ginger or lemongrass along with these guilt free peanuts and . . . . the picture almost perfect.

Also, I want to share a secret . . . . I am scared of deep frying. I don’t know if it’s normal but, that’s just me. Last time I deep fried something . . . was almost three years back. But, that does not mean that I do not crave fried food and thankfully I am blessed with two loving mommies who do it for me. Do you too have any such crazy fear?

Masala peanuts are an all-time favourite with my husband, so this one is for him :). They are super easy to make and I like these as it keeps a check on my diet without compromising on the taste buds. Happy rains.

 

1 cup Raw Peanuts

1/2 cup minus 2 tbsp Besan (Chickpea flour)

1 tbsp rice flour

Water as required.

 

Spice mix

Kashmiri red chilli powder as per taste

Salt as per taste

Hint of turmeric powder

3/4 tsp crushed kasuri methi

 

In a bowl add both the flours; besan and rice flour. To this add the spice mix and mix well.

Add water, a tbsp at a time to form a lump free thick batter (almost like a brownie batter).  Be careful as not to make the batter very runny like we normally do it for bhajiyas. Add a tbsp of besan if you feel that the batter is less or is too runny.

Into this batter add the peanuts and coat them well.

Drop the coated peanuts on a parchment lined baking tray, few at a time. Make sure that the peanuts are not dropped as a blob but scattered around in pairs or trios and are in single layer only. Do not overcrowd the tray.

Bake these in a preheated oven at 200 degree Celcius for approximately 15 mins. You may require a couple of minutes extra as each oven temperature varies. Move the peanuts around after 10 mins and keep a close watch.

The peanuts will be slightly soft when removed from the oven, but will firm up once cooled. Let it cool in the tray itself and store in an airtight container.