Indian Gooseberry preserve/Amla Jam:

Indian gooseberry is a sour and tangy fruit with many medicinal values as it is a rich source of vitamin C, calcium etc. It is known as Nellikai in Kannada, Amla in Hindi. This berry has been used for years in Ayurvedic medicines as well as in Home remedies, because it is rich in antioxidants. I make it a point to store Amla in a couple of forms every year- normally by Sun drying and making a jam instead of doing traditional morabba etc.

Usually early morning, weekly 3 to 4 times I do include this jam in my breakfast. It is very good for hair, skin, eye sight and overall health of a human body.

How I make –

Ingredients: 
Amla/Gooseberry (grated)-1 cup 
Sugar -1 cup 
Water -1 cup 
Red Chilli powder-¼ tsp 
Black pepper powder -¼ tsp 
Kesar – 5 -6 strings 
jeera powder -½ tsp 
Turmeric -¼ tsp 
Salt -As per taste 

Method: 

– Wash, cut open and remove the seeds. Put gooseberry either in food processor or chopper. U will get nice uniform chunks, or you can directly grate it.

-Take one thick bottomed pan, add water, grated amla, sugar. Mix well. Cook in low heat.

-When it is half done, add all the other masalas, salt and cook further.

-When mixture becomes shiny and forms a single thread, when you touch in between your fore finger and thumb.

-Switch off, cool and store it in a glass bottle.

-Stays good for one year, in cool weather like Bangalore.

 

Home-Style Pineapple Jam:

Some things are such that, it brings back lots and lots of fond memories from your childhood. This pineapple jam is one among the list, which is so flavourful and has lovely texture of grated pineapple. This week, when I saw a pile of pineapples over the carts in every nook and corner of our streets, immediately my mind went back to my grandparents farmland, loads of pineapples and home style pineapple jams, which I used to cherish with breads, Roti’s or Dosa’s. My urge to have that taste in my taste bud was so strong, I couldn’t resist it and I bought one pineapple and made this jam.

Now we will jump into the recipe part  –

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Ingredients:

Pineapple – 1

Sugar – 1  to 1 ½  cups (adjust according to your taste)

Lemon juice – 1 teaspoon

Method:

-Remove outer skin and make 4 vertical pieces.

-Grate the fruit.

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-Now put these gratings in a thick bottomed Kadai and start cooking on a low fire.

-Mix in-between to avoid burning.

-When pineapple is cooked and all the water, which oozed out while cooking has evaporated, add sugar and mix.

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-Cook until pineapple mixture leaves from the sides of the kadai.

-Add lemon juice, give one stir and switch off the gas.

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-Cool this mixture and store this in a glass bottle.