Currant Jelly - Using an Instant Pot

Instant Pot has become an indispensable apparatus in my kitchen . Did I tell you that already? I must have mentioned only a few dozen time surely. The Instant Pot makes an easy job of making jelly without having to spend time standing in front of a stove stirring and making sure it does not stick to the bottom. With an Instant Pot while you still have to stir occasionally, the even temperature prevents it from charring and sticking even when you let your attention wander off for a few minutes.

If you do not have an Instant Pot and have to use the stove top, use this recipe, still easy to do without very many steps. Right after we harvested currants in early summer I did a batch of the jelly and the subsequently harvested fruit was frozen. It took me about 45 minutes from start to finish and unlike on the stove top I left the Instant Pot to do its thing in the first 20 minutes and then during the next 20 minutes did an occasional stir till the jelly sets.

The currant seeds are slightly bigger in size and we do not like the texture so I filter it out but if you use a fruit this process should be even more faster. Once the fruit is cooked, blend, strain, add the sugar and cook again in the Instant Pot.



Here is the recipe in pictures,

Take the frozen currants in the Instant Pot. Cook for 25 minutes.
Once the currants have cooled blend and strain or use the juicer attachment of the blender and extract the pulp .
Add the top attachment that prevents the seeds from getting mixed with the pulp. Blend till all the pulp is extracted.
Pour the pulp and measure, I had about 1 1/2 cups.
Mix the pulp and the sugar in the Instant Pot and in saute mode, normal setting cook the mixture.
Mix the pulp and the sugar in the Instant Pot and in saute mode cook the mixture.
Cool to transfer to sterilized glass jars.

Works perfect on toast, pancakes or as a topping for ice cream.

Currant Jelly in an Instant Pot
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients

1. 3 cups of frozen currant which gave about 1 1/2 cups of fruit pulp
2. 1 1/4 cups of sugar

Method

1. Take 3 cups of currant in the Instant Pot, put it in manual cook mode for 25 minutes. (Since the fruit was frozen I did not add any water. If using fresh fruit add about 1/4 cup of water.)
2. Let the pressure subside naturally. Remove the lid and let the fruit to cool.
3. Take the cooked fruit in a blender (I used the juicer attachment of the blender) and blend for 3-4 minutes. By now the pulp should be oozing out. If you are using a regular blender, blend till the fruit is mashed up completely.
4. Measure and tip the pulp back in the Instant Pot along with the sugar.
5. Put the Instant Pot in Sauté mode in Normal setting. Once the Instant pot flashes hot keep an eye, stirring every 5 minutes or so.
6. In 15-20 minutes the jelly should be set. Do a water test - put a drop of the jelly in a small plate of water and if it does not run the jelly is ready.
7. Cool and pour into sterilized glass jars.
   

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Quick and Easy Paniyaram

Paniyaram - these small fluffy round Danish style Indian savory pancakes for lack of a better term is loved by all. The kids love it and along with some coconut chutney it is perhaps the best weekend breakfast item. Why only weekend because unlike dosai or idli you need to enjoy this in a relaxed manner.


If you make idli batter half the work is already done. In a few days when the batter becomes sour and you are wondering what to do - paniyaram should be the answer.

Get the batter and the onions, chilies, curry leaves and cumin ready.
Blend the onions,chilies, cumin and curry leaves and mix it into the idli batter.
Heat the paniyaram pan, grease each hole with oil and add the batter into each hole.
Flip and cook on the other side.

The perfect breakfast for a weekend.

Quick and Easy Paniyaram
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients

1. 3 cups of old Idli Batter
2. 1/4 cup of chopped onions
3. 3-4 green chilies
4. 1/4 tsp cumin seeds
5. 10 curry leaves
6. oil for making the paniyaram

Method

1. In a blender blend the onions, chilies, cumin seeds and curry leaves.
2. Add the blended onion mixture to the idli batter and mix.
3. Place the paniyaram pan on the stove, grease each hole with oil.
4. Pour about 2 tbsp of batter into each hole, drizzle oil on top(I normally don't) and let cook for a couple of minutes.
5. Flip it over and cook for another 2 minutes.
Repeat till all the batter is finished.

Serve with coconut chutney.

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