Strawberry / Strawberry Apple Jam

Strawberry Apple Jam

While we were in US - our friends there had a share in an organic farm - and during the season would get fresh fruits and vegetables from the farm. I had visited the farm along with them during the peak berry season and we would have fun picking strawberries, blueberries, blackberries...

I think more of it went into my stomach than the basket...:-) and boy was it delish...so yummy, fresh, ripe, sweet...it's so difficult to put into words the pleasure you get while standing under the hot sun in a field amidst the beautiful greenery...and ripe trees...the smell of it all in the air...and the carefree feeling you get when with good friends...and relishing the goodness of fresh fruit...sigh.....miss you guys, A&L ......we had fun...

Nyways enuff with the meandering down memory lane...getting back to the making of strawberry jam....how did the idea come to me...well winter is strawberry season and we got a small box of it from our local fruit vendor...unfortunately they were not too sweet - in fact - you could say they were tart...making it difficult for us to really enjoy it...
So I remembered my friend L ( of the above farm ) - when she would have a surplus of the fruit she would make jam - and get those some jars to can it and store it...she had even passed on some of it to us...

And thus came the idea of using this up by making a jam...if making in large quantities and planning to store for a long time - it requires a proper process and also the canning jars - and pectin which helps in preserving it.

Since I was just making with a small quantity and also for immediate use at home - decided to go the short and easy route...


This involved using lemon juice and sugar and of course the strawberries....the second time around I also used an apple - this has natural pectin - so is good as a preservative....you could take half an apple if you would prefer more of the berry taste.

So this method and ingredients can be used for both strawberry and mixed apple & strawberry jam or you could experiment with other fruits too.

Ingredients:

1 cup strawberries hulled and chopped
2-3 tsp lemon juice
4-5 Tblspn sugar
1 medium apple (optional - only for mixed jam)
A pinch of salt.

Method:

1) Wash and cut the strawberries into small pieces - put 2-3 tsp lemon juice and 1 Tblspn of sugar and keep in the fridge overnight.

2) Skin the apple and chopped into small pieces...if the apple is of a hard variety then see that the pieces are very small or even grated.
Squeeze a little lemon juice over it - so that it does not turn dark.

3) Take a non-stick pan - add the strawberries along with it's juices, the remaining sugar, and the chopped apple and keep stirring over low to medium heat. Keep mashing the fruits lightly so that it finally all gets blended into a pulp. Add the pinch of salt.
Check the taste and add more sugar or lemon juice if required.

4) Take off the flame once it all comes together into a smooth paste or pulp. 

5) Let it cool - and store in an air tight jar in the fridge. 

Enjoy !!!

The first time I made this, I did not take any pictures and was too busy with other stuff happening, hence did not post it...so was determined to do it right this time...

The jam was so delicious - a little of it went a long way - we used to have it every morning...it can be had with bread, chapati, even cake or muffin...it goes with just about everything...

So of course I had to make it again...and this time got it right..did manage to get in the pictures during the actual process ...and so here it is the post & pictures....so hope you get to relish this too.