Recipe: Homemade Mango Jams

MANILA, Philippines — It’s summertime, and it’s the season of mangoes — be they Indian mangoes, Carabao mangoes, or other kinds of mangoes.

For one, Indian mangoes are everywhere, growing in such abundance that they fall off the tree when they reach golden ripeness if not harvested on time. Carabao mangoes, priced for their exquisite sweetness, are usually harvested on schedule, with some in their still green state while others are already yellow and near perfect ripeness.

Mangoes are best enjoyed as they are. Scooped up, peeled and bitten into with the flesh of the fruit sliced or diced and used as an ingredient, topping, or filling for cakes, pies, ice creams and sorbets, pastries and other desserts.

In the end, there is a lot more. Do not let them go to waste. Make jams with them and enjoy a fresh batch of mango jam all the time while mangoes are in season.

Sweet Mango Jam

INGREDIENTS:

2 pcs. Carabao mangoes

1/2 cup sugar

1 tbsp. lemon or calamansi juice

Grated lemon or calamansi zest

PROCEDURE:

1. Finely dice the mangoes. Make sure there is more or less 2 cups of diced mangoes.

2. Combine the diced mangoes with sugar, lemon, or calamansi juice and zest in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for about 25 minutes or until the mixture thickens into a jam-like consistency.

3. Let cool. Store in bottles and sterilize.

Chunky Indian Mango Jam

INGREDIENTS:

6-7 pcs. Indian mango

2 cups white sugar

1 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tbsp. grated lemon rind

1 tsp. rock salt

PROCEDURE:

1. Peel mangoes. Roughly slice, removing the seed, then dice.

2. In a saucepan, combine the diced mangoes, sugar, lemon juice, lemon rind and salt. Bring to a boil

3. Lower the heat and cook the jam until the liquid is thick and syrupy.

4. Let cool.

5. Transfer to a bottle and keep refrigerated.

6. Serve with waffles or pancakes.

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