Quick Strawberry Jam

Quick Strawberry Jam

Firstly, let me tell you that Quick Strawberry Jam is akin to a rare delicacy for me. I have always eaten it out of a jar. In India, strawberries are grown only in Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Punjab, Rajasthan, Haryana, Delhi and the Nilgiri hills. I used to see strawberries in books and hear about strawberries and cream at Wimbledon and it is only recently that we are getting strawberries at the supermarkets and now even on carts. Obviously, now I have a surplus and that is why I have made this Quick Strawberry Jam.

Strawberries are Romantic

Strawberries are loved the world over now as they are refreshing and nutritious. They are the only fruit that has their seeds on the outside; yes that’s true, the tiny spores on them are the seed. Strawberries belong to the rose family and they are nature’s very own heart-shaped marvel! They are a gorgeous romantic red colour! Enough reasons to make strawberries romantic, isnt it?

Flavour of Strawberries

The best strawberries are sugary, tarty in taste, fleshy and juicy in texture. Its restrained earthy undertones allows the strawberry to blend beautifully with herbs like mint and basil. It’s quite rare to find sweet, succulent berries in India as the Indian farmers pluck the berries when they’re not fully red but the ones I had in Mexico were really good and my grandson loves them. Kids love strawberry ice cream!

Hybrid Strawberries /Pineberry/Strassberry

Strawberries come in several shapes, sizes and colours and some are really surprising. One kind of strawberry grown in the UK marries the berry with the taste of pineapple, and is known as pine-berry. One more originating in South America is called the strass-berry; a hybrid of raspberry/strawberry

Versatile Fruit

Strawberries are truly versatile fruits as they allow you to bake, boil and chill it. They can be pureed, blended, sautéed, grilled, mashed, and other cooking techniques.

Health Benefits

Strawberries have loads of vitamin C which helps with blood flow; they are a rich source of antioxidants, support the immune system, have antimicrobial effects, may help the heart, can help with weight loss too.(only when eaten as a fruit)

Homemade Strawberry Jam

Quick Strawberry Jam that I made was a spur of the moment decision. I was unwell and was not going to eat the few strawberries in the fridge. They would rot and I hate wasting food. This is an easy and quick recipe with just three ingredients. Best part is that this homemade jam is made without using any preservative. You can adjust the sugar according to your taste; for kids add more and only adults then a little less. Next time I am going to make it with brown sugar.

You can also try other Strawberry recipes of mine-

Mini Doughnuts, Strawberry Jelly, Christmas Fruit Skewers, Strawberry Cream Pudding,

Ingredients for Quick Strawberry Jam

1/2 kg strawberries

300gms sugar

1/2 tbsp. lemon juice

Method for Quick Strawberry Jam

Wash and drain the strawberries and dry on a towel.

Chop all the strawberries into chunks

Keep aside a handful chopped strawberries to get a crunch in it.

In a mixer blend the strawberries into a coarse.

Heat a pan and the puree.

Add the chopped strawberries when the puree is boiling.

 Add the lemon juice and the sugar.

Boil for 10 to 15 minutes and keep stirring sometimes.

Check the Sugar

Check the sugar and add more if necessary as it depends on the sweetness of the strawberries.

Let the mixture boil till it becomes thick.

Drop a little jam on a plate. If it is thick and not runny then it is done. It will get thicker once it is cool.

Let it cool and store in a mason jar and refrigerate.

The jam was still warm and I couldn’t resist it and spread the Homemade Strawberry Jam on a slice of bread and Mmmmmmmmm.

Notes

If strawberries are sour then add a little more sugar.

Make it with brown sugar for healthier jam.

Keep chunks and add at the end if you like the fruity bite.