Himalayan Peach Jam

Himalayan peach Jam is what I call a pot of peach jam I made some time ago. We had gone to a resort near Mukteshwar during the last week of May. The period from May to mid-June is the best time to visit Ramgarh-Mukteshwar belt as this is the fruit belt of Kumaon and orchards of Plums, Apricot, Peaches and Apples are bursting with fruits during this time of the year.  With the Himalayas in the backdrop, these orchards are a visual treat as well as a treat for the senses.  A variety of Peach called “Early June” is very popular here. The trees are not very tall and are profusely laden with the big size peaches. The salubrious Himalayan clime and mid-May showers infuse sweetness, juice and a great flavour to these peaches.

On our way back home, we stopped at an orchard and asked the owner if we could buy a kg or two and also if he could allow us to pluck the fruit. Voila! He agreed and we plucked the choicest peaches. He refused to take any money from us. Really a heart warming gesture! An important lesson learnt. Money is not everything…happiness springs from small generosities and a big heart.

Some peaches were over in the journey and about six were left. Back home,

 I made jam from those six Himalayan Peaches.

Peach Jam

Ingredients

• 2 cups ripe peaches peeled and diced if hard, mashed if very ripe
• 1  ½  cup sugar
• Juice of two lemons

Instructions

1. Peel the ripe peaches. Remove the stones and mash them with a fork.
2. Add sugar and leave for 3 to 4 hours. The sugar will dissolve and the fruit will become tender. However, if the peaches are not very ripe, cut them into pieces and pressure cook the fruit with very little water and turn off the gas after one whistle. 
3. Mash the pieces, add sugar and keep for about an hour till the sugar dissolves. 
4. Transfer the fruit pulp to a thick bottomed non-aluminium pan/wok, add the juice of lemons and cook on a medium flame stirring continuously. 
5. The jam will start thickening after some time. It should become half the original volume and should fall down the ladle in big lumps. 
6. Turn off the gas. In the meantime, sterilise the bottles.
7.  Place the washed and dried bottles with the lids in the oven. Set the temperature to 100 degrees and set the timer for 10 minutes. Remove the bottles and their lids from the oven. 
8. Fill the jam in the sterilized bottles while the jam is hot.

Note: Do not mash the fruit very fine. The chunky texture gives the jam a “homemade feel” and enhances the taste too!