How to make Murabba (Indian Sweet Preserve)?

The Murabba is a fruit or vegetable immersed in spice flavored sugar syrup

You can use many of the fruits or vegetables to make Murabba, examples are: Mangoes, Apples, Carrots, Ginger

Sugar density of the syrup exerts osmotic pressure destroying the bacteria virus yeast and mold microbes.

The Cinnamon, Cloves, and Lime juice provide anti-microbial environment

The fruit becomes soft for three basic reasons

1. Cooking beyond what is needed at higher temperature or longer time

2. Microbial spoilage breaking down pectin, You should throw this Murabba away.

Once the fruit gets soft, you can not reverse the process.

Use Firming Agents Pickle Firming Agents

Paan Choona (Pickling lime) and Fitkari (Alum) are used to make exemplar firmer and crispier

You can buy Alum and Pickling-lime at any American store in the canning section.

Ingredients

Cure Exemplar in Fitkari and Choona

1. Exemplar: 2 pounds

2. Water: 8 cups

3. Pickling-lime (Paan Choona): ½ teaspoon

4. Alum (Fitkari): ½ teaspoon

Syrup

Syrup should be one to two thread consistency

1. Water: 2½ Cups

2. Sugar: 3 Pounds

3. Salt: 1/8 teaspoon (pinch)

Salt adds flavor

4. Lime juice: 1 Tablespoon

Juice of one fresh Lime. Lime juice adds acid as well as flavors the syrup

5. Cinnamon sticks 3"x¼" sticks: 3

6. Cloves: 6

7. Green Cardamom seeds cracked.: 1 teaspoon

Method

Cure Exemplar in Fitkari and Choona

1. Peel and cut exemplar in to ¼" thick slices. Prick each slice with a fork few times

2. Mix water, Fitkari, and Choona. Add exemplar..

3. Cure for 12 hours

4. After 12 hours, remove the exemplar from the solution. rinse and soak in cold water for 15 minutes. Repeat the drain rinse and soaking steps in fresh water two more times. Remove exemplar and set aside.

Syrup Role of sugars in Indian Pickles

1. Mix water, salt, lime juice, and sugar. Bring to a boil. Heat to 220º F or one thread consistency

2. Add exemplar. Simmer on low till exemplar just starts to become translucent. This further thickens the syrup

3. Turn off heat. Let it cool and cure for 12 hours at room temperature.

4. Remove exemplar with a slotted spoon. Set exemplar aside.

5. Put the syrup back on heat. Bring to a boil. Heat to 220º F or one thread consistency

6. Add in Cinnamon Cloves and Cardamoms.

7. Return the exemplar to the syrup. Let it cool to room temperature

8 Transfer the contents to sterilized jars. Cover with muslin cloth. Age at room temperature for one day.

9. Remove muslin cloth and secure with sterilized lid.

Storage

Storage Jars

In India, the Murabba is stored in Imrit baan (Porcelain Jar, similar to stoneware Pickling Crocks).

In United states, glass canning jars fitted with snap top locking wire-bail (metal clasp) are used to store fruit preserves.

Storage Environment

In India, Murabba are stored in cool dry dark place for up to one year

In United States, it is customary to store Preserves in the refrigerator