Karonda Murabba / Natal Plum Sweet Preserve

It seems like ages since I updated my blog. I am still holidaying and enjoying my stay with parents. Still some more days are left for the schools to start in Dubai and till the time I go back I want to cherish each and every day of my India stay. I have been pestering my mother to make my favourite dishes and just relishing eating. 

My mother makes best pickles and murabbas. And this one is my favourite. This preserve or murabba is made with karonda or natal plum and tastes yum. Natal Plum is tart but has goodness of Vitamin C, calcium and magnesium. When combined with sugar and transformed into preserve it tastes superb...khatta and meetha.

Even birds love this fruit...and we had some parrots fighting over these.

Ingredients:

Karonda/ Natal Plum- 250 gms
Sugar- 1 1/2 Cups
Water- 1 Cup

Procedure:

• Wash the natal plum thoroughly and keep aside. Slit the natal plum in half and take out the seeds. 
• Steam the natal plum for 10-12 minutes in a steamer or till cooked.
• Meanwhile make a sugar syrup by mixing sugar and water and keep it in medium heat till one string consistency is achieved.
• Once sugar syrup is made transfer the steamed plum in it and let it cook for sometime till the consistency thickens.
• Cool completely and transfer it in a air tight container.

Store the murabba at room temperature and consume within 2 weeks.

Apple and Green Chilli Achaar

Continuing with my love for Royal Gala's here is another recipe.... a pickle made with apples, onions, green chillies and some very fragrant spices. Oh! I so much love the fragrance of roasted spices. Very easy to make... this achaar can be stored for about a week, but I bet with it's awesome taste in no time you can see yourself making another batch.

Ingredients:

Royal Gala Apples - 2 (peeled, de seeded and cut into thin slices)

Onion - 1

Green Chillies - 4 sliced ( can be increased or decreased)

Salt - 1 tsp

Sugar - 1 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Oil - 3 tbsp( I used canola)

Spices:

Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 tsp

Fennel seeds (saunf) - 1/2 tsp

Black mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Procedure:

Dry roast all the 4 spices and coarsely grind them. Heat oil and add onions, saute till soft. Then add in the ground spices, salt, sugar, turmeric and green chillies and stir well. Finally add in the sliced apples and cook for 10-15 mins.

Cool and this can be enjoyed with rotis, parathas or even with your favourite loaf of bread.