Mango and Strawberry Chunky Fruit Jam

First breads, then pickles, and now jam. My mother can't get enough with pinching herself to check if whatever her daughter is telling her on the phone is true. To prove, I sometimes even have to send her the pictures on Whatsapp! Such a brat I was as a child. Would not even care to make myself some tea, even if that meant going without it for a whole day when no one was around. Times have changed and so have I and now I look forward to try out different forms of cooking, be it baking, pickling, or making jams. The satisfaction and the success that follows is simply ecstatic, not to mention the appreciation and applause that you receive from friends and family. In Singapore or any other foreign country for that matter, you get to taste the best of the jams and fruit preserves from across the globe. However, I was really eager to try make one at home but somehow it wasn't happening. This week , my favourite food group on Facebook is holding a Mango Madness event and I instantly knew what I am making for this. My first attempt at making jams, and though a bit laborious to keep stirring it for hours, it gives immense joy and pleasure to spread that homemade goodness on your buttered toast in the morning! Believe me! Certainly worth all the effort!!

                                     

Ingredients

3 ripe big mangoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped

10-12 red plump strawberries, washed and stemmed and crushed with a potato masher or with your hands

6-7 dried apricots (optional), sliced

4 cups sugar

3 tbsp lemon juice

Direction

Put all the fruits together in a deep bottomed vessel and add the sugar and lemon juice. Place the vessel on medium flame and let it come to a boil once the sugar melts. Now reduce the flame and keep stirring the mixture every 3-5 minutes, scraping the sides as you do. Remove the scum  (the frothy layer on top ) from time to time to get a clear jam. The fruits will slowly start melting and the mango chunks transparent. With the help of a masher or the back of a wooden spoon, crush the pulp as much as you can. Let the mixture simmer on a low flame till the consistency thickens and becomes syrupy. Keep a steel bowl or plate in the freezer and once cold enough, place a drop of the jam on the plate and put it back in the freezer. After 3-4 secs take it out and see if the drop is runny while tilting the plate/bowl. If it holds its place, your jam is ready to be jarred. Use clean and dry air tight jars and transfer the jam. Keep the lid open and let it cool completely before keeping in the refrigerator.

                                       

                                       

Mixed Chilli Pickle

Pickling is a fun and exciting process and I am quite enjoying it. It is in fact quite easy and requires minimum effort. All you need is a bit of good sunshine, which is again optional and can be managed even without it. I was lucky to get some hot and sunny days in the beginning of the pickling process, but thereafter the sun started playing peekaboo, which only prolonged the process by a day or two without any adverse effect. I had made one red chilli pickle in the past as well and even that was super yummy. That was an oil free version while this is not. In this pickle I have used a mix of green and red chillies to cater to mine and my husband's spice tolerance levels. Do try this easy peasy pickle and see how it takes your regular meals a notch higher. You can also use the flavored oil in this pickle for spicing up your curries and veggies.

                                

Ingredients

150 gms green chillies

150 gms red chillies

7 tbsp yellow mustard seeds

3 tbsp rock salt

1/2 cup lemon juice (juice from 5-6 lemons)

2 tsp turmeric powder

3/4 cup mustard oil

Direction

Wash the chillies thoroughly and let it air dry overnight by spreading on a kitchen towel. Now cut 1 inch pieces or basically halve the chillies in the middle after removing the stems. Put the chillies in a clean and sterilized glass jar or a non reactive food grade jar. Take the mustard seeds in a coffee grinder and make a coarse powder. Add this powder to the chillies in the jar. Add rock salt and close the lid. Shake the bottle vigorously for 2-3 times so that everything gets mixed properly. 

Leave it in a sunny place, with lid closed, for 2-3 days. If you have good sunshine, 2 days is good enough. 

At the end of the third day, add the lemon juice and turmeric powder. Close the lid and mix again. Leave it in the sun for 2 more days. Ensure that you shake the jar at the end of each day.

In a pan, heat the mustard oil to a smoking point and then let it cool. Add this completely cooled or slightly warm mustard oil to the jar and mix well. Close the lid and let it remain at room temperature for 3-4 days. Keep shaking the jar at the end of each day. Your pickle is now ready to be served. Make sure you use a clean spoon to serve the pickle everytime. If you live in a very hot and humid place, you may keep it in the refrigerator.

Caramalized Onions and Walnut Stuffed Wholemeal Buns

These days my bread baking spree has taken a back seat. For reasons unknown to me as well, I somehow do not get excited enough to bake a regular bread. Maybe because there aren't many eaters at home and so the idea of me eating the majority of it alone pulls me down. So I keep on thinking of new ideas of making the bread making process more interesting and be exciting enough to push me to bake. Today's recipe is one such interesting one which I totally loved. I made it as a very small batch since I did not want it lying on the kitchen counter for days. If you have a love for onions and  even more for caramalized onions, you will love this bread!

                                    

Ingredients

For the filling

4 big onions finely sliced

1/2 tbsp sugar

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar (optional)

5-6 walnuts toasted and finely chopped

1-2 tsp olive oil

For the buns

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup wholewheat flour

1/2 cup oats, any variety (you can either roast the oats and grind it or use as it is)

1/4 cup milk powder

3/4 tsp instant dry yeast

1/2 tsp sugar

80 ml warm water

1 egg at room temperature

1 tbsp butter softened

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp milk for milk wash

Sesame seeds for sprinkling on top (optional)

Direction

In a bowl, dissolve the sugar in warm water and add the yeast. Mix thoroughly and let it stand for 10 minutes until frothy.

                                      

In another bowl, mix all the dry ingredients except the sesame seeds. Pour the yeast mixture and mix. Now add the egg and the butter and start kneading a smooth and elastic dough. If you find the dough too sticky, add a wee bit of either wholewheat or plain flour. Continue kneading till you have a soft but moist dough. Lightly oil the dough from outside and tightly wrap with a clingwrap and keep it in a warm place to rise, about 1 hour or until doubled.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a pan and add the onions. Coat the onions with the oil properly and spread it out on the pan evenly. Let it stay uncovered for 5-10 minutes on low heat, stirring once or twice in between. Now add salt and sugar and mix and continue the process till the onions start caramalizing and turn into a beautiful deep brown color. Be careful not to burn the onions at this stage. Add the balsamic vinegar, if using, and reduce the excess liquid. Using this, the onions will get a beautiful sweet and tangy taste and takes it to a higher level. Once the liquid dries up, remove from heat and transfer to a clean bowl and let it cool. The caramalized onions also serve as a amazing pizza topping!

                                     

Now, take the dough out and punch it down a few times till the trapped air releases. Now pinch out plum sized balls and spread it slightly on your palm. Make an indentation in the center and add some of the onions followed by the roasted and chopped walnuts. Seal the edges and form a smooth ball again.

                                    

Repeat with the rest of the dough and filling.

                                    

Arrange the filled balls in an oven safe greased dish and cover and keep aside in a warm place for the second proofing, about 1-2 hours or until doubled.

Towards the end of the proofing time, start pre heating the oven at 180 degree celsius. Take the dough dish out and gently brush with milk. Sprinkle some sesame seeds on top and bake in the pre heated oven for 20 minutes or until browned on top and a tap on the top sounds hollow. I added some  Parmesan cheese as well but you can skip that.  Remove from oven and let it cool on wire rack. Serve warm.