Jamun or Kala Jamun also known as Indian Blackberry or Black Plum is a sweet, tart and delicious seasonal. This fruit is particularly native to India, Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka among others. Jamuns are available only in the summer season and are a perfect summer refreshment too. Its sweet sour taste is lip-smacking but what is better is the puckering it leaves in the mouth, and the blue-purple patch it leaves on the tongue is simply fun.
This fruit is referred to as the ‘fruit of Gods’ and is indeed a boon with its many health benefits. We know that blueberries are considered packed with anti-oxidants and nutrients and so are very expensive too. But our humble kala jamun offers almost similar health benefits and more at less than half the price!
Jamuns contain an active ingredient known as ‘Jambolin’ that makes it an excellent fruit for diabetics to enjoy. It has a low glycemic index and so is great for diabetics.
It is a powerful anti-oxidant and anti-diabetic fruit that can be relished as it is, but if you feel experimental, here are some tempting recipes you can try using jamun.
Jamun Ice Cream
Some brands prepare these unique flavoured icecreams as well. But if you can very easily make it at home too. And if you like the combination of this sweet and tart fruit with creamy rich textures, this ice cream is just for you.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cooking time: 10 minutes
- Freezing Time: 2 hours
- Serves: 4 people
Ingredients:
- Jamun: ½ cup
- Condensed milk: ½ cup
- Fresh cream: ½ cup
- Milk: 2 tbsp
- Cornflour: 2 tbsp
- Sugar: ½ cup
- Mint leaves: 4-5 to garnish
Procedure:
- To make the jamun puree, deseed the jamun and blend the fruit in a mixer.
- Now make a cornflour slurry, by adding the cornflour to warm milk and mixing well. Take care not to leave any lumps in them.
- Take a heavy bottom pot, to it, add the condensed milk, fresh cream along with sugar. Mix well and stir on low flame, now add the cornflour slurry.
- Keep the pot on medium flame and stir continuously to ensure no lumps are formed. Cook this mixture for a few minutes, until it becomes thicker. Remove from flame and keep aside.
- Once the mixture is cooled, add the jamun puree and mix it into a uniform mixture.
- Pour the mixture into an airtight container. If you have cling foil, then add a layer of it on top of the ice cream to prevent ice formation. Freeze it for 2 hours minimum.
- Once it is well frozen, use an ice cream scooper to scoop out the ice cream, garnish with fresh mint leaves and serve chilled.
Jamun Raita
It is always a great idea to include as many seasonal fruits and vegetables in your daily diet. During summers we usually consume curd in various forms like raita or buttermilk or just plain etc. This unique seasonal combination of Jamun raita is a refreshing change from your regular curd options and has high medicinal values too. It is definitely worth trying this summer. The best part is that is ready in barely a few minutes.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cooking Time: 0 minutes
- Serves: 4 people
Ingredients:
- Jamun: 1 cup (deseeded and finely chopped)
- Thick Curd/ Hung Curd: 1.5 cup
- Green chilli: 1 (finely chopped)
- Black Salt: ½ tsp
- Chat masala: 1 pinch
- Roasted cumin powder: ½ tsp
- Red Chilli powder: 1 pinch (optional)
- Fresh Coriander: 1 tsp for garnishing
Procedure:
Take a large mixing bowl, to it add the hung curd along with chopped jamun. Mix well and add the seasoning, like the green chillies, chat masala, and black salt, and add some red chilli powder if you like some extra heat. You can skip it if it’s too spicy for your liking. Simply mix the raita well and garnish with fresh coriander. You can relish this jamun raita with your lunch or even a plain paratha.
Jamun Pani Puri Water
Call it panipuri, Gol gappe or anything else, but this delicious street-style snack is pretty much the national favourite street food! While we al love the lip-smacking combination of sweet, sour and spicy waters, the dish is now elevated with some unique new flavours that make Pani puri even better than before.
You may have heard of the new flavours like garlic water, hing water, pudina water, jaljeera water etc. But when jamun is in season, you can explore the fantastic tart, sweet and sour taste of jamun with your favourite street-style snack.
Simply get some pani puris, potatoes and chickpeas for filling and make this easy jamun panipuri water and enjoy the new burst of flavour.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cooking Time: 0 minutes
- Serves: 6 people
Ingredients:
- Jamun: 250gm
- Water: 6 cups chilled
- Black Salt: ½ spoon
- Chat Masala: ½ spoon
- Roasted cumin powder: 1tsp
- Green Chillies: 2 (slit)
- Lemon juice: 2 tsp
- Fresh Mint leaves: 7-8 leaves
- Salted Boondi: 2 tbsp (optional)
Process:
To make Jamun Pani puri, first deseed the jamuns and cut them into small pieces. Now add them to a mixing jar and blend it into a fine puree. Add this puree to a large mixing bowl. Now add chilled water and add to it the black salt, chat masala, roasted cumin powder, along with slit green chillies and finally add the lemon juice. Mix well so that the spice from the chillies is infused into the water. Now chop fresh mint leaves very finely and add them to the water. Mix well. You may add some ice cubes if you need to consume them fresh or chill the water in the fridge to chill.
You may add some salted boondi for some additional crunch and flavour. Add this delicious water to pani-puris with potato filling and enjoy!
Jamun Jam
We all have eaten the traditional mixed fruit jam, strawberry jam and some other variants like mango, pineapple etc. as well. But when jamuns are in season, trying to make a jamun jam makes perfect sense. This fruit is an Indian berry and has all the right qualities to make it a mouth-watering spread that one can enjoy on bread, rotis or paratha. Here is how you make it.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cooking Time: 25 minutes
- Serves: 1 big-size jar
Ingredients:
- Jamun: 1 kg
- Sugar: 1.5 cup
- Lemon Juice: 1 whole lemon juice
Process:
- To use the jamun, first, you wash them thoroughly and then chop them and remove the seeds. Now take a heavy bottom pot and add the jamuns to it. Add not more than half a cup of water and cook the jamuns with a covered lid. Once they turn mushy and soft you cool them and blend them into a smooth paste. Alternatively, you can also mash them using a masher and leave the jamuns chunky if you prefer a chunky texture.
- In another pan, add the sugar and keep stirring till the sugar melts, add the juice of a whole lime and keep stirring to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- Now add the jamun mixture to it. Stir well and cook until the mixture loses its water content and thickens.
- Cool the jam completely, and transfer it to a cool and dry glass jar. This jam remains good under refrigeration for about 1 month.
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