The Cape Gooseberry Jam Project
Every February, I get ready to make gooseberry jam. In North India, they are called ras bhari, which means berries full of juice. In the formal parlance they are called cape gooseberries. But, for me, they are just gooseberries.
I love their colour — golden yellow with a very slight hint of orange. And inside, their little seeds, in just another shade of yellow and orange, blend in with the pulp. The berries come in a little cap or cape, a veined brownish gossamer thin one, that protects them from the environment, I guess. In stores they are sold back to back, with their capes all tied together like a French knot. So, when I get ready to process them, I must pull them out, one by one, and drop them into the kitchen sink where I wash them.
This year I ordered 5 kilos from the vendor who has rather excellent fruit. I called and told him I would pick them in two days later. They source the fruit from the mandi, or wholesale market for fruits and vegetables, housed in the outskirts of Delhi. But, I ended up taking 8 kilos. The season is coming to an end and I thought I could do a big bunch. There are many takers for the gooseberry jam in my life, starting with myself.
The gooseberries filled a wooden box. On Saturday morning I took them out of the box, a few bunches at a time, and carried them over the kitchen sink. I pushed down on the stopper in one side of the sink and half filled it with water. I then pulled out the berries, one by one, and dropped them into the water, checking each and making sure they were good for the jam.
After they were all done, I rinsed them out in a colander and put them into dry bowls.
I didn’t get around to them till the afternoon. It took me well over an hour to cut the fruit. I took some breaks as it’s a tedious job. The berries begin to stick a little to the fingers and the knife, and I rinse them out occasionally. But, the flavour of the berries is a huge compensation, all right.
I see that I will have to make them in three batches. So, I start one batch, and then the next and the next. Once the berries begin to bubble and boil, I add the sugar, stirring all the time, so the sugar doesn’t collect and burn at the bottom of the pot. Soon, the kitchen and the rest of the house begins to fill with the aroma of the jam. It's also getting hot, with three burners in full steam.
It takes about an hour to cook and get to a point when I turn the stove off. The glass jars have already been sterilised and ready to be filled with the golden mixture. I wait about 15 minutes till it cools off and then spoon the jam into the jars. Once full, I tap the bottles gently to let out any air bubbles and then cap the bottle, and put the jars on the counter, upside down.
Once they are all done, I put them upright and then wipe off any jam on the bottle. Yesterday I got 20 bottles of about 250 gms each.
Now, all that’s left is putting on the labels, which have already been printed. I did a watercolor of the gooseberries some years ago.I wrap it all up by 10 am and I am ready for bed.
