RASBHARI KA JAM / रसभरी का जैम (CAPE GOOSEBERRY JAM)

To save on time and to simplify the process of preparing a post, I usually try to make a monthly recipe planner. It helps me plan my whole schedule i.e. from grocery shopping to cooking/ baking & composing the food clicks. However, it happens several times that all my plans go flying out of the window when I spot certain seasonal gems that result in posts such as the Spring Garlic Pilaf and now this one. A jam post was nowhere near my plan of things. However, seeing these plump juicy beautifully orange-ish cape gooseberries, I lost my heart to them. They happen to be in season for a very short time and I realized that to enjoy them for long, these beauties needed to be preserved and what better than jam! And it was then, that I also realized that my only other post on jam was this Sweet & Spicy Tomato Jam two years back!

 

For this jam post, I thought of reducing the sugar and swapping some amount with a natural sweeter and honey is all that is available here. It seemed like a good idea since this would mean that in future I can swap the sugar completely with honey. However, the only problem is that the taste of honey is not something my family enjoys much. To overcome that problem and to camouflage its flavor I chose to add the sweet warm notes of cinnamon. Also, you may swap cinnamon with green cardamom. This recipe can be easily halved.  I am so glad I made this jamit felt like letting in the morning sun shine – golden bliss, warm, caressing and its bright colors will enliven your mood!  

1 kg grams (6 cups) Cape Gooseberries

1½ cup Sugar

½ cup Honey

½ quill Cinnamon, optional (add one quill for stronger cinnamon notes)

2 tbsp orange juice 2 tbsp lime juice

Wash and gently wipe the cape gooseberries with a kitchen towel. I roughly pureed 2 cups of the berries and sliced the rest. (Slice the larger ones horizontally in three,  but not too thin, and smaller ones in halves). 

Take a heavy bottom non-reactive pot and add all ingredients. Put on medium heat and stir the ingredients.

Once the sugar melts and the mixture begins to boil (approx 3-4 minutes), reduce the heat to medium low and cook for approximately 25-30 minutes.

  Check for done-ness of jam. I did the first check for done-ness when the jam had been cooking for nearly 25 minutes and then proceeded to cook it for further 5 minutes till it reached the desired consistency.

Once the jam reaches the desired consistency, remove from heat and transfer hot in dry sterilized containers keeping a half an inch space at the neck of the bottle. Screw the lid tightly and turn the jar upside down to allow the heat to create a vacuum. 

Let the jam cool completely and store it at a cool dark place. Once opened, refrigerate the jam. It keeps well for a year. (mine stays well beyond a year)

NoteFeel free to add either all sugar or all honey to the jam, whatever fancies you.

Note: Since I wasn’t too sure what texture the jam would eventually have, to be on the safer side, I puréed 2 cups and sliced the rest. And I am really pleased with the end result J

  Thanks for visiting and see you soon again! 

IT IS ALWAYS ENCOURAGING TO HEAR FROM FRIENDS AND READERS. I CAN ALSO BE REACHED AT: easyfoodsmith@gmail.com

43 thoughts on “RASBHARI KA JAM / रसभरी का जैम (CAPE GOOSEBERRY JAM)

  1. These berries are very expensive here and somehow i never to experiment with them in my kitchen, Jam sounds a better option to cook with them.. Wonderful recipe.

  2. I’ve never made jam before because it seems so scary to make! You’ve made it seem so easy, and beautiful, that I just might have to dig in and try one of these days! 🙂

  3. Absolutely beautiful! Those gooseberries have such a lovely colour to them and the jam is just fantastic. I try and have a calendar of sorts but like you I get distracted by the produce section at the store. What I try to do is check the store or market first and then make a calendar…that doesn’t always work either 🙂

  4. Delicious gooseberry jam. I admire your planning, mine never ever planned post. I always draft and post and click on the same day. So no post in draft till my blogging.

  5. What a gorgeous jar of jam! I’m not at all familiar with Cape Gooseberries so it’s hard to know what this jam would taste like, but I bet it’s delicious! I love homemade jam and toast for breakfast!! Wish I had a jar of this!

  6. the jam is looking beautiful. i have had rasbharis some years ago. we just have them plain and never make a jam. but preserving seasonal fruits is something which even i do.

  7. This definitely is a gem recipe! love the photography as always and what a great recipe to add to my recipe collection!

  8. Wow! I remember eating these in India. The berries are delicious and I can only imagine how amazing this jam must be. Please send some over!
    As always your clicks are gorgeous!!

  9. I have never seen Cape Gooseberries, they are so pretty…and the jam just sounds delicious, I would love to taste it.
    Hope you are having a great week 😀

  10. I love gooseberries! I’m not always able to find them when they’re in season, but they’re so, so good. Love this jam — brilliant idea. Thanks so much.

  11. How much I miss Rasbhari in Chennai…enjoyed eating these fruits in Rajasthan. Love the colour and texture of the jam. Good to know that you do planning for your blogposts…

  12. Hi. Thanks for dropping by and for those encouraging words. These berries aren’t available in my city and I do not remember tasting them too. Home made jam is always a great idea and i’m impressed to hear that the posts are planned for the month. I’m never able to do that.

  13. A couple of clarifications – Cape Gooseberries are not gooseberries, which are a green, cool climate fruit. Cape gooseberries are a sub-tropical, and they are not related to gooseberries. they are not tomatillos either. They have in common that they grow in a husk, but the tastes are completely different, and they too are a completely different plant family. it is rare to see Cape Gooseberries (or Physalis) in greengrocers as they are very perishable.

    1. Thanks Anonymous for your time and the trouble you took for ‘clarification’.

      Cape Gooseberries or Physalis may be rare in the part of the world you stay but its pretty common in my part of the world albeit available for short period of time during the year.

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