HOMEMADE STRAWBERRY JAM

                 
                 

Ingredients:

Strawberry-250 gms

Sugar-250 gms

Lemon juice-3 tsp

Fruit pectin powder/liquid(thickening/jelling agent) -2-3 tsp

Method:

1.Wash and cut the strawberries and let it dry.

2.Grind the strawberry and make a puree or if you wish to make a fruit preserves ,then you can add full fruit or chopped. 

3.Pour it in a kadai and let it boil.

4.When it starts boiling,add sugar,lemon juice and fruit pectin powder and mix well.

5.Boil all these together in medium heat until the liquid reaches 220 degree Fahrenheit.
6.This took exactly 15 minutes to reach the consistency.




7.Sterilize a glass bottle by putting it in the boiling water for 15 mins.
8.Remove it from water and keep it ready.
9.Now transfer the strawberry mixture into the sterilized bottle and close the lid.(do not close the lid too tight)




10.In a big vessel,fill water and boil it nicely.
11.Place the bottle filled with the strawberry mixture into the water.
12.Fill the water into the vessel till where the jam is.or above the jam area.Not less than the jam area
13.Close it with the lid.




14.Let it boil in water for 10 mins exactly in medium heat.
(do not leave more than 10 mins.)


15.Remove it from the vessel and place it in a towel and let it rest for 24 hours or minimum 1 overnight.
16.Touch and check on top of the jam lid whether it is nicely pressed.
(If you press the jam lid,you should not hear any popping sound.If you hear it,then the jam bottle is not sealed well)
(if so,then again put it back in the boiling water for another 5 min. and recheck)
17.The top of the lid when pressed,should be tight and firm.
18.Do not open the bottle until it is nicely set.(leave unopened for 24 hours.)


19.Sweet strawberry jam is ready.
Note:
1.Take care when you handle with glass bottle,too much pressure or heat may cause the bottle to break.
2.Do not close the jam lid so tight or so loose.Close it medium tight.Use only metal lids,not plastic.
3.If pectin is not available,try using agar agar/china grass/kadal paasi.
 (For this,add 10 mg agar agar flakes to the strawberry juice and boil.
 Do not add sugar until the agar agar flakes are nicely cooked.
 All the other steps are the same as mentioned.)
4.If you do not want to try agar agar and pectin,just cook the strawberry and let it thicken on the stove top    for some more time.All the other steps are the same as mentioned.This jam will be little runny.
5.Do not add water in any of the steps.
6.You can try with gelatin powder too.
7.Unopened jams can be preserved up to 1 year in the refrigerator,opened or unsealed jams stays good for 3-4 months.
8.Try any fruits of your interest in the same method.Adjust sugar according to the fruit's sweetness.                                                      
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