Vakkaya jam (Karuanda jam)

Vakkaya is well known as Karuanda in Hindi. It is also known as pickle berry! The fruit is quite tangy. Variety of chutneys and pickles are made using these fruits. Vakkaya contains pectin and accordingly is a useful ingredient in making jelly, jam and chutneys.

Vakkaya is very similar to cranberries, available in USA at Thanksgiving time. Many Indians who reside in USA, use cranberry as an equivalent to vakkaya.

Here is a recipe to make jam with vakkayalu. Due to the nice pink color of the fruit and its natural flavor, you can make a very attractive looking and yummy jam!

                                           

                                                      

Ingredients:

•      1 or 2 cups vakkaya (preferably pink and white ones)
•      11/2 cup sugar(according to taste)

Directions:

1.      Wash and clean vakkayalu removing any stems, if they are there.
2.      In a pressure cooker cook the fruits in half cup of water up to 3 whistles.
3.      Let the cooker cool down. 
4.      When the cooked vakkayalu are at room temperature, grind them along with water.
5.      Skins and seeds need not be crushed.
6.      Sieve the mixture and collect the juice.
7.      You may add some more water and squeeze the pulp, so that all the juice is collected.
8.      Measure the liquid. 
9.      For 2 cups of juice, add approximately one to one and half cups of sugar.
10.      Cook the mixture in a thick container, stirring regularly.
11.      Keep stirring and take care that it is not burnt at the bottom.
12.      Once the mixture starts boiling, it starts to thicken.
13.      Check the thickness of the mixture by putting a drop on a plate and touching it. 
14.      In the picture, I tried to show the thickness of the juice when the jam is ready.
15.      Turn the heat off.
16.      Let it cool.
17.      When it is at room temperature, transfer the jam to a container/bottle.
18.      It has a nice natural color and flavor with no artificial added agents.
19.      It used to be a big hit with children, when I made for the kids.