Banana Jam

Here’s a delicious and interesting alternative on your toast,the recipe is again from my amma only,which is passed to her from her mother.Back home,this is usually prepared using a special variety bananas called ‘Palayankodan‘.Unlike conventional spreads,this jam is smooth and watery in texture with a deep purple color and it has a sweet-tart flavour.

‘Palayankodan ‘ bananas

Jam made with ‘Palayankodan’ Bananas (which i brought from Kerala)

I’ve tried it with the local bananas(Chiquita) that we get here,the original purple color was not attained ,but it tasted the same.

Banana Jam & Mayonnaise on bagel- my kids’ choice(made with local Chiquita bananas)

Ingredients:-

Ripe bananas cut into thick slices – 1/2 kg
Sugar – 1 and 1/2 cup (use more or less according to your taste)
Water – approx 1 and 1/2 cup

Method:-

Add bananas and water into a pressure cooker,water level should be just above the banana pieces.Cover and cook the bananas until you hear 2 whistles.

Banana slices cooked and cooled

When it is cooled,pour the whole thing into a clean muslin or cheese cloth , kept over a bowl.Squeeze the bananas well and collect all the juice and discard the residue.Now pour the juice into a pan,add sugar and heat it on a medium flame stirring in between.When the jam begins to get thick,reduce the heat to low and stir it consistently for few more minutes.Switch off the stove and allow it to cool.

Banana jam (just before removing from heat)

Jam when cooled

You have to be very careful with the consistency of the banana jam.Eventhough the jam looks watery while removing from heat,it’ll get thicken as it cools.

There are 2 ways by which you can check the correct consistency of the jam.

1)Just before switching off the stove,take little jam in a ladle and slowly pour it into the pan.If they are falling in two tiny threads,you can be sure that you’ve attained the consistency.Immediately remove the jam from the heat.

2)Another method is to pour a drop of jam into a steel plate/glass.If it forms into a small pearl without any spreading, then its time to switch off the stove.