Sweet-And-Spicy Jalapeño Jam| Home-Made Preservative- And Pectin-Free Jam

When I made strawberry jam at home, I set into motion, inadvertently, an itch that just refuses to subside. Now, I want to make jam with every available thing! So far, I’ve tried my hands on making jam with fresh jalapeños and tomatoes – apart from strawberries, of course – and both experiments have yielded really good results.

I absolutely love the flavour of the jalapeño jam, the mix of spice and sweet that it is. It makes for a beautiful spread for sandwiches, and its all-natural gorgeous green colour is captivating.

I made the jalapeño jam in a slightly different way from the strawberry one. Here’s the recipe!

Ingredients (yields 5-6 tablespoons):

1. About 30 fresh jalapeño chillies (I got them from First Agro)
2. 1 medium-sized green capsicum
3. About 12 tablespoons of sugar, or to taste
4. 2 pinches of salt
5. Juice of 1 lemon

Method:

1. Wash the jalapeños and capsicum, and pat them dry. Ensure that absolutely no moisture remains on the vegetables.

2. Remove the stems from the jalapeños and chop them into medium-sized pieces. Similarly, remove the stem, seeds and white innards from the capsicum, and chop it into medium-sized pieces.

3. Grind the jalapeño and capsicum pieces into a puree, using a mixer.

4. Transfer the puree to a heavy-bottomed pan, and set it over a medium flame. Add the sugar and salt.

5. Keep cooking the puree over medium heat, uncovered, till it gets to a spreadable consistency. Stir intermittently, to ensure that the puree doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.

6. When the jam is thick, but still slightly liquid, switch off the gas. It will harden further on cooling.

7. Add the lemon juice at this stage. Mix well. Make sure all the ingredients are mixed together properly.

8. Allow the jam to cool completely, and then transfer to a clean, air-tight bottle. Keep refrigerated for a longer shelf life, using only a clean and dry spoon to remove the jam.

Notes:

1. Increase or decrease the quantity of sugar you use, to suit your taste preferences.

2. The capsicum and lemon juice will help cut down the extreme spiciness of the jalapeños. Do not avoid using these two ingredients.

3. I did not remove the seeds from the jalapeños, and I got a jam that is mildly spicy. You could remove the seeds to cut down the spiciness of the jalapeños even further.

4. Cooking time might vary, depending on type of ingredients, gas stove and quantity of jam prepared.

5. Since this jam doesn’t contain any preservatives, it would be a good idea to use it sooner rather than later.

You like? I hope you will try this out too, and that you will love it just as much as we did!