Grapes Jam

I got some juicy fleshy grapes from Swapna chechi and she suggested to make jam with it. I was hesitating in the beginning but then decided to try it. Now I'm completely sure I'm not going to pick any jam jars from supermarkets anymore. These homemade ones are easy to make and yummy too. My son loves it. My mother used to make these jams at home. I took the snaps when jam was hot. So it was a bit loose in texture. This is the consistency when you've switch off the flame. It will become thick as it cools. Sorry I was too lazy to click and upload then. :)

Ingredients

• Nice fleshy grapes - 500 gms (eat and see, you need really big fleshy and sweet ones)
• Sugar - 7 tbsp 
• Water - 1 cup
• Lemon - 1 small
• Red colour - optional (1 drop)

Method

• Clean and cook your grapes adding water in pressure cooker. It takes 2-3 whistles. Cook well. 
• When the cooked grapes cool, run it in a blender.
• Pour the blended grapes into a strainer and get all the pulp you can.
• Pour this into a thick bottomed vessel. Add sugar. Put on flame. 
• Allow it to simmer and reduce. Stir in between. The whole process of reducing takes about 20-30 minutes. 
• The jam thickens as it cools. So you've switch off the flame when the consistency is a bit loose in texture. 
• Towards the end before switching off add the lemon juice and simmer for 2 minutes. Add a drop of colour at this stage if you want. 
• Switch off the flame. 
• Pour into clean glass vessel before it starts thickening. 

Kaalan (Onam special)

Hi,
This was a long break. First we had our vacation and then the time for settling back to the daily routine in Bahrain. The heat was too much when we came back. It brought more heat when I thought about the pleasant rains at home. Now that I'm back to routine and Noel started school, I got time again to sit here and write to you. Next week it is onam and so why not start with a traditional recipe. Today I made kaalan. It is an easy to make veg curry. Have it with rice.

 Ingredients

1. Green plantain (thadiyan kaa) -2
2. Grated coconut - 1/3 of 1 coconut
3. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
4. Green chilli - 3
5. Shallots - 3
6. Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
7. Salt to taste
8. Curd - 1 cup

For tempering

• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Shallots - 2
• Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 tsp

Method

• Cut the plaintain into small pieces
• In a pressure cooker add little water along with plantain pieces cook it well and mash.
• Grind ingredients from 2 to 7 adding little water into a smooth paste.
• Add this paste to the mashed plantain and mix well.
• Switch on the flame and let it cook for a minute. Do not allow it to boil. 
• Mix well and remove from flame. 
• Add curd after 2 minutes and mix well. 

For tempering. 

• Heat coconut oil in a pan.
•  Add mustard seeds when oil is hot. 
• Add sliced shallots when mustard seeds splutter. Add fenugreek seeds
• Remove from heat and pour over the curry.