Content
Manchurian (Dumbey) nut is a strong and beautiful tree that produces fruits that are amazing in properties and appearance. Its nuts are small in size, similar in appearance to walnuts, but richer in the nutrients they contain. Therefore, Manchurian nut jam is not only pleasant to taste, but also very healthy.
The benefits and harms of Manchurian nut jam
The benefits of Manchurian nuts have been fully proven by experts. It is full of such important elements and chemical compounds for humans as: magnesium, potassium, acids (malic and citric), alkaloids, various phytoncides, carotene, coumarin and tannins. In addition, the unripe fruit of the Manchurian nut is rich in vitamins B and C. It is tasty and contains about 60% nutritious oils. It is used in medicine and in cooking, mainly for making jam and various tinctures.
Despite all the beneficial properties of this nut, it can be harmful. Due to the high content of chemical elements, it can cause an allergic reaction.It is not recommended for pregnant women or during lactation to consume it. Contraindicated for people with liver cirrhosis, allergic reactions, stomach ulcers and gastritis.
Which nuts are suitable for making jam?
Only those Manchurian nut fruits that are collected in mid-July, approximately from the 10th to the 20th, are suitable for making jam. By this time, they have not yet fully ripened and their peel has not become stronger. Basically, this collection is called the fruits of “milk ripeness”. After removing the nuts from the tree, they are subjected to prolonged soaking with periodic changes of water.
Important! The bark of the Manchurian walnut is rich in iodine, so collecting, soaking and peeling must be done with gloves so as not to stain your hands.
In order to be sure of the usefulness of Manchurian nut jam, you should strictly follow the recipe for its preparation.
Ingredients
There are several recipes for Manchurian nut jam, but the simplest is the preparation of unshelled green nuts. To prepare it you will need:
- 100 pieces of Manchurian milk-ripe nuts, unpeeled;
- 2 kg sugar;
- 1 lemon;
- various spices and herbs in powder form (ginger, cardamom, cloves, chicory) approximately one pinch each;
- vanilla extract (sugar or pod);
- about 2.4 liters of water (2 liters for cooking and 2 glasses for making syrup);
- 1 pack of baking soda.
If desired, you can add various berries or orange peels to these ingredients.
Manchurian nut jam recipe
It takes a lot of time to properly prepare jam from the fruits of the Manchurian tree. It takes about two weeks just to prepare the nuts for cooking in syrup. And the process of making jam itself takes 3 days.
The process of making jam begins with the selection and cleaning of fruit debris. Then they are poured until completely covered with cold water and left to soak for a day. At this time, the water should be changed at least three to four times, and the nuts should be washed under running water.
After soaking the fruits in plain water, they are pierced or pricked and filled with a special soda solution (5 liters of water mixed with 100 g of soda). The nuts should remain in this solution for about two days, then it should be changed. The procedure is performed 4 times. In this case, the nuts need to be mixed as often as possible. This procedure is necessary to rid the fruit of bitterness.
After soaking the nut fruits, they are removed and dried for the next cooking in syrup.
The syrup is made from sugar and water.
Dissolve 2 kg of sugar in two glasses of water and put on high heat, bring to a boil, removing the white foam. Reduce the heat and dip the soaked and dried fruits into the syrup. Spicy powders and finely chopped lemon are added along with the nuts. Bring to a boil again and remove from heat. The resulting jam should infuse for at least 24 hours, then it is put back on the fire, brought to a boil and removed to infuse.
In total, the jam should be boiled at least three times, until all the water has boiled away and the jam acquires a viscous consistency reminiscent of honey.
For aroma and piquancy, vanillin is added to the finished jam before the last removal from the stove. It eliminates the tart, nutty odor.
The resulting jam is poured into jars, which are sterilized in advance and tightly closed with a lid. To seal the jars hermetically, the jam should be poured hot.
Rules for using green Manchurian nut jam
Ready-made Manchurian nut jam can be eaten no earlier than a month after it is rolled into jars. During this time, the fruits will completely absorb the sugar syrup and become soft.
You should eat jam carefully, in moderation, so as not to cause an allergic reaction. In addition, this sweetness is very high in calories. 100 g of nut fruits contain approximately 600 kcal.
It can be consumed in this form along with tea as a stimulant to strengthen the immune system. This jam is also suitable as a filling for baking pies.
Terms and conditions of storage
When properly prepared, Dumbey nut jam can be stored for up to 9 months. In this case, you should follow a number of simple rules:
- dark place;
- cool temperature.
The optimal conditions for preserving the freshness and usefulness of this delicacy are a place protected from sunlight, with a temperature of 0-15 degrees. This could be a pantry or cellar.
After opening the jar, the jam can be consumed and stored for no more than two months.Therefore, it is recommended to prepare it in liter or half-liter jars.
To preserve an open jar, place the sweet contents in a plastic container and close it tightly. The container should only be stored in the refrigerator.
Conclusion
Despite the labor-intensive process of making Manchurian nut jam, the resulting result will fully justify the long wait. The finished dish has a very unusual and pleasant taste, unlike the shades of similar sweets. Very valuable medicinal properties and nutritional value are worthy of becoming a favorite delicacy for the whole family.
