Redcurrant-strawberry jam

Of all the recipes that I’ve tried with redcurrants, this jam is probably the best by far. I’m no jam maker, in part because it seems like a complicated procedure requiring sugar thermometers and pectin and setting temperatures and water baths and ultra-pasteurised (is that the right term for glass jars or is it only used to describe milk?) glass jars and so on. I’m not that big a fan of jam, in any case – although I guess I must confess to sometimes being taken over by a strawberry-conserve-“veri” (Tamil word for “frenzy”) and eating posh strawberry conserve straight out of the jar with a spoon, never mind the toast. I get that way with orange marmalade too, occasionally. But those are pretty rare occasions.

Like I’ve said earlier, when it came to redcurrants, I’d only ever heard of redcurrant jelly, but never tasted it – and still haven’t, if it comes to that. I’m still unsure if “redcurrant jelly” is the American for “redcurrant jam”. In any case, when I decided I would try making redcurrant jam, I also had a box of strawberries in the fridge, slightly too overripe for consumption but not yet at the stage of supporting fungus colonies. I googled redcurrant-strawberry jam recipes and bingo! up popped this one. It wanted 600 gms each of redcurrants and strawberries and twice as much sugar. It also came with jam-making instructions incorporating the use of a sugar thermometer which I don’t have and doubt I’ll be getting any time soon. So I did what I normally do in when there are instructions that I don’t care for – I ignored them.

I used a mixture of Splenda and sugar for the jam. I didn’t use pectin-rich sugar because I didn’t have any and to my mind I wasn’t making “serious” jam – I was just going to cook up two kinds of berries for an impromptu jam… but I also had the vague idea that strawberries naturally contain pectin anyway. So be warned, my instructions for this recipe are:
1. Kind of vague
2. Definitely not what serious jam-makers would approve of or follow.
But if you don’t care about that, you’ll end up, like I did, with about 200gms of a sweet-tart jam that sort of explodes on your taste buds. It is just SO right on toast and for rolling up inside chapaties. Jam to my mind can’t really be filed under “mouthwatering” but I’ll make an exception in this case. It IS mouthwatering.


Recipe for: Redcurrant-strawberry jam




Ingredients:
1-1/4 cups redcurrants
1-1/2 cups strawberries
3/4 cup Splenda
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice


Method:
1. Chop the strawberries into 1-cm pieces. Place in a lidded container along with the redcurrants.





2. Add the sugar and Splenda to the berries.





3. Toss together till the ingredients are mixed.





Place in a fridge overnight, tightly covered, so that the sugar melts and the berries release their juices.


4. The next day, place the fruit in a heavy-based saucepan along with the juices. Scrape out any sugar that may be stuck to the container. Bring the fruit to a gentle simmer to make sure that all the sugar is dissolved.


5. Once the sugar has all dissolved, bring the fruit to a boil.





Cook for 12-15 minutes, scraping around the sides of the pan once in a while, to stop the sugar crystallising. The jam is done when the juices are reduced and the fruit is no longer watery.


6. Turn off the heat, then add the lemon juice.





Mix well. The jam should be quite thick. It should thicken further on cooling.





7. Transfer the jam to a clean glass jar and let cool completely. It's lovely spread on scones along with thick cream. Or on toast. Or rolled up in chapaties...

RECIPE: REDCURRANT-STRAWBERRY JAM
Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups strawberries
3/4 cup Splenda
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice


Method:
1. Chop the strawberries into 1-cm pieces. Place in a lidded container along with the redcurrants.
2. Add the sugar and Splenda to the berries.
3. Toss together till the sugar is evenly distributed. Place in a fridge overnight, tightly covered, so that the sugar melts and the berries release their juices
4. The next day, place the fruit in a heavy-based saucepan along with the juices. Scrape out any sugar that may be stuck to the container. Bring the fruit to a gentle simmer to make sure that all the sugar is dissolved
5. Once the sugar has all dissolved, bring the fruit to a boil. Cook for 12-15 minutes, scraping around the sides of the pan once in a while, to stop the sugar crystallising. The jam is done when the juices are reduced and the fruit is no longer watery.
6. Turn off the heat, then add the lemon juice. Mix well. The jam should be quite thick. It will thicken further on cooling.
7. Transfer the jam to a clean glass jar and let cool completely. It's lovely spread on scones along with thick cream. Or on toast. Or rolled up in chapaties.

Carrot redcurrant thogayal (chutney)

This is the third recipe using redcurrants that I’ve tried. My overwhelming impression of these gloriously pretty little berries is that they’re enamel-shrivellingly sour. Lemons and limes have nothing on them. They don’t appear to have a flavour of their own, except for the sourness – did I say they’re sour? – which I might have mentioned before. A few times, even.


But used in judicious amounts as a souring ingredient, the redcurrant thokku I made as my first redcurrant recipe really came into its own. I’d been wanting to try a carrot thogayal recipe which I’d marked a few months ago, and instead of using tamarind paste, I added two tsp of the redcurrant thokku to, if I may say so myself, brilliant effect. If you don’t have redcurrant thokku, don’t worry – just cook 2 tsp redcurrants until the berries soften and break down, before adding your grated carrot, and all will be fine.


The redcurrant-carrot thogayal stays good for only a couple of days at room temperature. I didn’t refrigerate it, so I don’t know its shelf life when stored in the fridge. But acting on the general rule of thumb for thogayals, which is that refrigeration does not improve the taste any, I’ll go out on a limb and say it’s best to make the thogayal in small amounts and use it up while it’s fresh.


Recipe for: Carrot redcurrant thogayal





Ingredients:


1 cup carrots, grated





1 small tomato, chopped/2 heaping tbsp roasted tomatoes
2 small onions, sliced thin
2 tbsp redcurrants/2 tsp redcurrant thokku
1 tbsp urad dal
1/4 tsp asafoetida powder
1/4 tsp saunf (fennel) seeds
5-6 dried red chillies - or to taste
2-3 fresh green chillies (optional)
2 cloves garlic, chopped
3 tsp oil
10-12 fresh or frozen curry leaves
a big handful of fresh coriander leaves
Salt to taste


Method:


1. Heat the oil and add the asafoetida powder, turmeric powder, urad dal, red chillies, fennel seeds, garlic and curry leaves.





Fry till the dal turns golden and the red chillies are a darker shade of red.


2. If you are using raw redcurrants, add them now and cook them on medium high heat until they break down - about 5-7 minutes.


3. Add the sliced onions and fry till they start to become soft and translucent.





4. Now add the chopped/roasted tomatoes and stir them in, and let cook for 3-4 minutes till they become mushy.





5. Add the grated carrots along with the green chillies and mix well.





6. If you're using redcurrant thokku, add it now and mix in.





7. Let the carrots cook for 5 minutes or so, until they become soft. Then add the coriander leaves and mix in.





8. Let the cooked mixture cool completely, then grind to a coarse consistency. You will not need any added water. Add salt to taste and mix well. Serve with plain cooked rice, dal and a vegetable curry. Or serve as a side for dosas, idlis and so on, and to make sandwiches.

RECIPE: CARROT REDCURRANT THOGAYAL


Ingredients:


1 cup carrots, grated
1 small tomato, chopped/2 heaping tbsp roasted tomatoes
2 small onions, sliced thin
2 tbsp redcurrants/2 tsp redcurrant thokku
1 tbsp urad dal
1/4 tsp asafoetida powder
1/4 tsp saunf (fennel) seeds
5-6 dried red chillies - or to taste
2-3 fresh green chillies (optional)
2 cloves garlic, chopped
3 tsp oil
10-12 fresh or frozen curry leaves
a big handful of fresh coriander leaves
Salt to taste


Method:


1. Heat the oil and add the asafoetida powder, turmeric powder, urad dal, red chillies, fennel seeds, garlic and curry leaves.
Fry till the dal turns golden and the red chillies are a darker shade of red.
2. If you are using raw redcurrants, add them now and cook them on medium high heat until they break down - about 5-7 minutes.
3. Add the sliced onions and fry till they start to become soft and translucent.
4. Now add the chopped/roasted tomatoes and stir them in, and let cook for 3-4 minutes till they become mushy.
5. Add the grated carrots along with the green chillies and mix well.
6. If you're using redcurrant thokku, add it now and mix in.
7. Let the carrots cook for 5 minutes or so, until they become soft. Then add the coriander leaves and mix in.
8. Let the cooked mixture cool completely, then grind to a coarse consistency. You will not need any added water. Add salt to taste and mix well. Serve with plain cooked rice, dal and a vegetable curry. Or serve as a side for dosas, idlis and so on, and to make sandwiches.

Roasted tomato redcurrant thokku (chutney)

My first ever experiment with cooking with redcurrants was redcurrant thokku. It was, despite my best efforts, still rather too sour to be used as a mix for cooked rice - according to the feedback received from my palate. The best I could do with the thokku was use it – sparingly - as a condiment with (any) dal and rice.

So, with the second of the three batches of redcurrants, as a further experiment, I made thokku with the addition of roasted tomatoes, which I usually have to hand in the fridge because roasted tomatoes make everything taste better. Need I add that “everything” is limited to whatever is made USING the roasted tomatoes? No, I thought not. (But I’ve added it anyway, in case there’s someone whose answer to that question was “Yes”. *heehee*)

This thokku was more readily palatable, with the sourness of the berries tempered by the sweetness of the roasted tomatoes. It’s as nice mixed with plain rice as any regular tomato thokku, and is also a good accompaniment for dosas, idlis and the like. The verdict from my palate, which while admitting that quality-wise this thokku is the much better improved version, also insists that it’s best had in smaller portions than regular tomato thokku. So there you have it – my palate has spoken.

Recipe for: Roasted tomato redcurrant thokku



Ingredients

1-1/4 cups redcurrants, washed and drained
2 cups chopped roasted or regular tomatoes, pureed
2 tbsp oil
2-3 cloves garlic
1 tsp cumin-coriander powder
1 htsp brown/black mustard seeds
5-6 fresh curry leaves
1/4 tsp asafoetida powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp sambar powder (optional)
1 tsp jaggery
1 tbsp lemon juice
3 tsp red chilli powder (or to taste)
1/4 tsp roasted fenugreek seed powder
salt to taste

Method:

1. Heat the oil, add the garlic, cumin-coriander powder, mustard seeds, curry leaves, asafoetida powder and turmeric powder. Stir for 30 seconds or so.



2. Add the redcurrants and red chilli powder. Mix well, cooking the berries on medium low flame until they are soft and squashed.

3. Now pour in the pureed tomatoes and mix again.



4. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring every so often, then bring down the heat to low and let it bubble gently for 12-15 minutes, till it is thick. Add the sambar powder now, along with the jaggery and salt to taste.



Stir well. If the thokku is a bit watery, let it cook for another 5 minutes on medium heart and leave the thokku on the heat for a couple of minutes longer. There should not be any liquid in the thokku, it should be quite thick. If you like a smooth texture, puree the thokku after it cools down.



Let the thokku cool down completely before transferring to a clean jar with a tight lid. The thokku stays good for 2-3 days at room temperature. Mix with plain rice to make tomato rice with a difference, or serve as a side dish with dosas, idli etc.

RECIPE: ROASTED TOMATO REDCURRANT THOKKU

Ingredients:

1-1/4 cups redcurrants, washed and drained
2 cups chopped roasted or regular tomatoes, pureed
2 tbsp oil
2-3 cloves garlic
1 tsp cumin-coriander powder
1 htsp brown/black mustard seeds
5-6 fresh curry leaves
1/4 tsp asafoetida powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp sambar powder (optional)
1 tsp jaggery
1 tbsp lemon juice
3 tsp red chilli powder (or to taste)
1/4 tsp roasted fenugreek seed powder
salt to taste

Method:

1. Heat the oil, add the garlic, cumin-coriander powder, mustard seeds, curry leaves, asafoetida powder and turmeric powder. Stir for 30 seconds or so.
2. Add the redcurrants and red chilli powder. Mix well, cooking the berries on medium low flame until they are soft and squashed.
3. Now pour in the pureed tomatoes and mix again.
4. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring every so often, then bring down the heat to low and let it bubble gently for 12-15 minutes, till it is thick. Add the sambar powder now, along with the jaggery and salt to taste.
Stir well. If the thokku is a bit watery, let it cook for another 5 minutes on medium heart and leave the thokku on the heat for a couple of minutes longer. There should not be any liquid in the thokku, it should be quite thick. If you like a smoother texture, puree the thokku after it has cooled down.
Let the thokku cool down completely before transferring it to a clean jar with a tight lid. The thokku stays good for 2-3 days at room temperature. Mix with plain rice to make tomato rice with a difference, or serve as a side dish with dosas, idli etc.

Redcurrant thokku

I don’t understand why the supermarkets start stocking their shelves with Christmas-oriented goods fully three months ahead of the actual occasion. It pisses me off extremely much, not that anyone cares. Any small enthusiasm for the festival that I might otherwise muster goes right down the drain when almost everything is advertised as “perfect as a Christmas present”. I don’t know about everybody else, but if anybody thought to give me an electric toothbrush (for example) as a Christmas present, they would very soon get it jammed up an orifice not situated in the face and not meant for toothbrushes - electric or otherwise.

About the only thing I’m pleased about with regard to Christmas-oriented goods is when the produce shelves are stocked with things that are otherwise not to be found for the remainder of the year – cranberries, chestnuts, redcurrants, etc. Last week I found redcurrants on the shelves on a two-for-one offer, so I bought two boxes on an experimental basis. I’d never tasted redcurrants nor anything made with redcurrants. I thought this would be a good time to see what they were like and what I could make.

Here’s what I discovered: Redcurrants are sour. Mouth-puckeringly sour. Even when they'reinvitingly red and ripe, they're sharp enough to shrivel your fillings. There’s no way they could turn to sweet from that tart extreme - not without artificial help, anyway. They’re the most gorgeous looking berries, though… tiny, shiny and very red, like grape-bunches of little red rubies.



So, anyhow, eating those little rubies raw was out of the question. I googled redcurrant jam recipes and found one that combined redcurrants and strawberries. Perfect, because I had some somewhat squishily overripe strawberries in the fridge. But the recipe called for equal amounts by weight of both berries, and my strawberries were “currantly” (note the pun, note the pun!) outnumbered by about 2-1 in weight-y terms.

That was when I felt the Spirit of Enterprising Culinariness, so long dormant, take possession of me once again. (When one is possessed of this spirit, there’s nothing to do but give in to its directions.) Under its spell, I divided the berries into three more-or-less equal portions of about 1-1/4 cups. With the first portion I made redcurrant thokku/chutney.

The thokku was a good use of the redcurrants, but the cooked-down berries retained so much of the tartness that the thokku had to go back on the hob for some repair-work. The ingredient quantities have been modified to reflect the “repair” so that you don’t have to cook the thokku twice like I did. But be warned, this is one sour chutney, best eaten along with dal and rice to give the meal extra zing. I ate it spread on toast, too.

Recipe for: Redcurrant thokku (chutney)



Ingredients:

1-1/4 cups redcurrants, washed and drained
2 tbsp oil
1 tsp cumin-coriander powder
1 htsp brown/black mustard seeds
5-6 fresh curry leaves
1/4 tsp asafoetida powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
2 tbsp sugar or jaggery
2 tsp red chilli powder
1/4 tsp roasted fenugreek seed powder
salt to taste

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a pan and add the cumin-coriander powder, curry leaves, mustard seeds and asafoetida powder.



Fry them for about a minute, till the mustard seeds pop.

2. Add the redcurrants to the pan and stir well. Let them cook for 2-3 minutes.

3. Now add the turmeric powder and red chilli powder and stir again.



4. Let the redcurrants come to a gentle boil on medium heat, then stir in the sugar or jaggery.



5. Let the berries cook down on a low simmer for 10-15 minutes until they lose their shape. You can mash them with a spoon.

6. Add salt to taste and finally the roasted fenugreek seed powder. Mix well. The thokku is done when the mixture becomes thick. Let it cool, then store in a tightly covered container. This stays good for 4-5 days.



This redcurrant thokku is best used as a condiment with dal and rice.

RECIPE: REDCURRANT THOKKU (CHUTNEY)
Ingredients:
1-1/4 cups redcurrants, washed and drained
2 tbsp oil
1 tsp cumin-coriander powder
1 htsp brown/black mustard seeds
5-6 fresh curry leaves
1/4 tsp asafoetida powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
2 tbsp sugar or jaggery
2 tsp red chilli powder
1/4 tsp roasted fenugreek seed powder
salt to taste

Method:
1. Heat the oil in a pan and add the cumin-coriander powder, curry leaves, mustard seeds and asafoetida powder.
Fry them for about a minute, till the mustard seeds pop.
2. Add the redcurrants to the pan and stir well. Let them cook for 2-3 minutes.
3. Now add the turmeric powder and red chilli powder and stir again.
4. Let the redcurrants come to a gentle boil on medium heat, then stir in the sugar or jaggery. 5. Let the berries cook down on a low simmer for 10-15 minutes until they lose their shape. You can mash them with a spoon.
6. Add salt to taste and finally the roasted fenugreek seed powder. Mix well. The thokku is done when the mixture becomes thick. Let it cool, then store in a tightly covered container. This stays good for 4-5 days.
This redcurrant thokku is best used as a condiment with dal and rice.