Forget acai berries and blueberries and discover our very own desi jamun - a goldmine of nutrients acclaimed for its amazing health benefits. Supriya Kutty shares some unusual recipes for this humble purple berry.
Fruit 'full' of goodness
- Jamuns are a storehouse of anti-oxidants and contain anti-ageing properties.
- They are bursting with carbohydrates, minerals such as manganese, zinc, iron, calcium, sodium and potassium as well as vitamins A and C.
- The glucose and fructose in jamun are excellent for cooling and hydrating the body during hot summers.
- Ayurveda recommends jamun seed powder for naturally lowering blood sugar to control diabetes.
- Ripe jamuns stimulate the liver, aid digestion and also relieve flatulence.
- Dry jamun powder is used to reduce skin blemishes.
Deep purple pops
It's cold, sweet, purple, perched on a stick and just perfect for those hot summer days. Juicy pops just don't get better than this.
Ingredients
500 g ripe (but not squishy) jamuns, deseeded and halved
2 tbsp powdered sugar (or as required)
6 ice cream sticks
6 kulfi moulds or plastic cups
Method
1. Whizz jamuns and sugar (vary amount depending on the sweetness of the fruit) in a blender and strain to remove any large bits of peel.
2. Pour equal amounts into kulfi moulds and freeze. When pops are half set, insert ice cream sticks into them and freeze till fully set.
Jamun cheesecake
Our desi version of blueberry cheesecake - yummy in its creamy richness and equally attractive with its glazed, deep purple topping!
Ingredients
For preserve
300 g ripe jamuns, deseeded and chopped
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp dark rum
For cheesecake
200 g digestive biscuits
60 g butter melted
20 g castor sugar
250 ml fresh cream lightly whipped
150 g hung yoghurt
40 g gelatine plus 20 g for topping
Method
Preserve
1. In a saucepan cook jamun on low heat till mushy and strain through a fine sieve.
2. Return the pulp to the stove, add sugar and rum and cook till mixture become thick (about 30 minutes); remove any foam from the surface of the preserve and cool.
Cheesecake
1. Crush biscuits in a blender and pour in melted butter and sugar to form a crumbly mixture.
2. Spread this evenly in a springform tin and pat down to form a neat base; chill in the fridge for an hour to set.
3. Melt 40 g gelatine in a couple of tbsp of hot water.
4. Whip yoghurt and cream in a bowl to a smooth, silky consistency and thoroughly fold in the gelatine.
5. Add half the jamun preserve to the mixture and pour over biscuit base. Leave to set in the fridge for 3-4 hours.
6. Melt 20 g gelatine in a tbsp of hot water, mix into remaining preserve and spread on top of cheesecake.
7. Let it set in the fridge for an hour and a half before serving.
- Jamuns are a storehouse of anti-oxidants and contain anti-ageing properties.
- They are bursting with carbohydrates, minerals such as manganese, zinc, iron, calcium, sodium and potassium as well as vitamins A and C.
- The glucose and fructose in jamun are excellent for cooling and hydrating the body during hot summers.
- Ayurveda recommends jamun seed powder for naturally lowering blood sugar to control diabetes.
- Ripe jamuns stimulate the liver, aid digestion and also relieve flatulence.
- Dry jamun powder is used to reduce skin blemishes.
Deep purple pops
It's cold, sweet, purple, perched on a stick and just perfect for those hot summer days. Juicy pops just don't get better than this.
Ingredients
500 g ripe (but not squishy) jamuns, deseeded and halved
2 tbsp powdered sugar (or as required)
6 ice cream sticks
6 kulfi moulds or plastic cups
Method
1. Whizz jamuns and sugar (vary amount depending on the sweetness of the fruit) in a blender and strain to remove any large bits of peel.
2. Pour equal amounts into kulfi moulds and freeze. When pops are half set, insert ice cream sticks into them and freeze till fully set.
Jamun cheesecake
Our desi version of blueberry cheesecake - yummy in its creamy richness and equally attractive with its glazed, deep purple topping!
Ingredients
For preserve
300 g ripe jamuns, deseeded and chopped
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp dark rum
For cheesecake
200 g digestive biscuits
60 g butter melted
20 g castor sugar
250 ml fresh cream lightly whipped
150 g hung yoghurt
40 g gelatine plus 20 g for topping
Method
Preserve
1. In a saucepan cook jamun on low heat till mushy and strain through a fine sieve.
2. Return the pulp to the stove, add sugar and rum and cook till mixture become thick (about 30 minutes); remove any foam from the surface of the preserve and cool.
Cheesecake
1. Crush biscuits in a blender and pour in melted butter and sugar to form a crumbly mixture.
2. Spread this evenly in a springform tin and pat down to form a neat base; chill in the fridge for an hour to set.
3. Melt 40 g gelatine in a couple of tbsp of hot water.
4. Whip yoghurt and cream in a bowl to a smooth, silky consistency and thoroughly fold in the gelatine.
5. Add half the jamun preserve to the mixture and pour over biscuit base. Leave to set in the fridge for 3-4 hours.
6. Melt 20 g gelatine in a tbsp of hot water, mix into remaining preserve and spread on top of cheesecake.
7. Let it set in the fridge for an hour and a half before serving.
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