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...

Amla Murabba

Amla Murubba

This year the winter was pretty severe in all parts of the world...even in India certain parts had very low temperatures and almost snow like conditions.

Mumbai which generally had very mild winters - was also showing signs of unusual weather - colder than norm - but the main problem here was that it was not uniformly cold.....the temperatures kept fluctuating - warm - to pleasant - to cold - to chill...brrr.....

Nyways the above is just so that you know the reason for almost everyone coming down with cold, cough, flu....and the sniffles is the most irritating thing to go thru....
My sister who generally has morning sniffles had come up with a few remedies to take care of it...and so she decided she should share it with me too...and that is how I landed up with a big bag of amla.

Now I have never tried eating amla raw - do not know if you have - but it is very sour ( khatta )....tried to have it like a medicine....buuuuuuuuuut....not too successful...

So then what do you do with the whole bag minus the one I tried to eat.....T came up with one option - it seems when they were young they used to immerse amla in salted water - and after a couple of days eat it - so that was what we did with 2-3 amlas...( it is still soaking ....)
The balance I decided to try and make murabba....went thru the net - got a few different recipes - but generally got the gist of the method and ingredients and proportions ...then set out to make my own...
Murubba makes a very nice accompaniment to any meal...it's sweet sour combination gives a different tang to the taste buds...and so it is greatly appreciated.