Of late, Jamun, also known as black plum, Malabar plum or java plum, has been gaining Chefs’ attention as they consider using it in their preparations not just for the sake of taste, but for nutritious value too. Rich in iron, potassium and vitamin C, the delicate fruit and its seeds are loaded with immense properties, while its sweet, sour and acerbic flavour is something that makes it simply irresistible.
Here are some signature recipes of Chefs across the country who have incorporated jamun in their dishes. Enjoy cooking with jamun as the fruit lends interesting textures to sauces, jams, salads or even fizzy drinks.
Jamun Salad with Java Plum Dressing
This quick, healthy salad makes a refreshing side to pork or chicken; the savoury heaviness of the meat is soothed by the fresh flavours of the salad. Jamun brings a unique sweetness to the dish. The flesh is extremely juicy and combines sweet and tart flavours with a slightly astringent aftertaste. The powder sprinkled in the end is made out of the dehydrated jamun seeds that help to regulate blood pressure in the body,” writes Sudip Misra, Executive Chef, Bengaluru Marriott Hotel Whitefield.
Prep time-20 mins
Ingredients
2 cups Frisee, washed
¼ cup slivered almonds
8 Java plums, sliced
¼ small red onion, chopped
¼ cup goat cheese
½ piece ripened avocado
1 tsp of mix java seed powder
5-6 half cherry tomatoes
For the dressing
2 plums, peeled and chopped
2 tbsp jamun juice
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp water
½ tbsp honey (optional, depending on sweetness of plums)
¼ tsp salt
Method
For making the dressing, mix all of the dressing ingredients in a blender and blend on high for 30 seconds until the fruit is pureed and everything is mixed. Taste the dressing and add more honey or salt if desired.
Prepare the salad by tossing together Frisee, avocado slices, almonds, Java plums and red onions.
Top the mixture with Feta cheese.
Finish the salad by sprinkling some jamun seed powder (made out of dehydrating the seeds of jamun).
Steamed Grouper Fish with Jamun Relish
The Steamed Grouper Fish with Jamun Relish is for those who love healthy food with seasonal ingredients. I am extremely particular about the way I cook my fish. I love to cook healthy soft texture-steam fish with seasonal ingredients and most importantly, no oil. In this recipe, I have used the jamun fruit, which is quite astringent, and adds sweet and sour flavour to the fish,” says Gaurav Gupta, Chef De Cuisine, Sheraton Grand Chennai Resort & Spa. He shares the recipe below.
Prep Time: 30 mins
Ingredients
220 gms Grouper fish fillet
20 nos Jamun (Malabar Plum)
2 tbsp fish sauce
3 garlic cloves, chopped
½ tsp lemon juice
2 nos birdeye chilli
½ tbsp palm sugar
1 small bunch of cilantro
A pinch of salt & crushed black pepper
Method
For the Jamun relish:
Take out the seeds from the jamun and fine chop it. Put it in a mixing bowl.
Add fine chopped garlic, birdeye chillies and cilantro in it. Add fish sauce, lemon juice and palm sugar. Stir it well until the palm sugar dissolves.
For the Fish:
Take a Grouper fillet. Cut it into 3 pieces.
Sprinkle a pinch of salt and crushed pepper over fillet.
Pour Jamun Relish over the fillet and steam it in a steamer for 8 minutes at 185 degree C.
Garnish with cilantro leaves and some birdeye chillis. Serve.
Jawa Plum Mousse
Ingredients
For the Jamun puree:
500 gm jamun
50 gm brown sugar
For the Whipped cream filling:
50 ml tepid milk
1 ½ tsp gelatin
100 g white chocolate
30 ml clarified butter (ghee) melted, cooled
50 g brown sugar
For the Topping:
1 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp lime juice
Pinch of Himalayan pink salt
Fresh mint to garnish
Method
For the Jamun puree:
Wash the jamun well, drain and add 50 g sugar. Leave to soften for 20 minutes. Remove all stones from inside, removing as much pulp as possible. Blend the pulp until smooth.
Reserve ½ cup for garnish. Add 1 tbsp brown sugar to this reserved cup, and warm up puree to dissolve the sugar. Stir to mix, then stir in lime juice and salt. Chill.
For the Jamun Mousse:
Melt the white chocolate with 100 ml cream. Whisk until smooth. Leave to cool.
Sprinkle the gelatin over 2 tbsp of warm water. Leave to soften, then stir until clear. Place chilled cream, sugar and unsalted butter in bowl of stand mixer and whisk until medium stiff peaks form.
Tip: Gently stir in the melted white chocolate mix and jamun puree, taking care not to lose the whipped in lightness of the cream.
Taste for sweetness.
Strain over the gelatin mix and gently fold in.
Put in glass which would be used for serving.
Stir about 1 tbsp of the reserved jamun pulp into the 1/ 2 cup reserved mousse, and top each glass. Leave to set in fridge. Once set, top with jamun topping and fresh mint leaves and serve.
(Recipe by Jatinder Pal Singh, Executive Chef, Sheraton Grand Bengaluru Whitefield Hotel and Convention Center)
Quinoa and Jamun Salad
Ingredients:
50 g of Quinoa
6 nos jamun fruit
1 no bell peppers
1 no green apple
50 g spring onion
50 g Nachos
50 g onion
30 g coriander
Salt and pepper to taste
2 lemons
Method
Bring the water to a boil in a large saucepan.
Add the quinoa, stir once and return to a boil. Cook uncovered over medium heat for 12 minutes. Strain and rinse well with cold water, shaking the sieve well to remove all moisture.
When dry, transfer the quinoa to a large bowl.
Add the green apple in dices, jamun deseeded, onion, and all the above ingredients cut in to small dices and mix with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper and toss well. Serve.
(Recipe by Praveen Shetty Executive Chef, Conrad Bengaluru)
Talli Botanist
This is a gin based cocktail made with syrup of fresh jamun. A perfectly balanced cocktail, the sweetness and tartness of jamun gives the drink a refreshing taste which is an absolute must for all gin lovers. We always try to use fresh jamun but due to its unavailability, we use jamun syrup which does not alter the taste/flavours of the drink,” writes Sareen Madhiyan, head chef, TAPPA, New Delhi.
Ingredients
60 ml Gin
20 ml jamun syrup
20 ml lime juice
1 egg white
Dash of black salt
Edible flowers (for garnishing)
Method
Add all the ingredients in the shaker cup and do a dry shake.
Add ice and shake it well and double strain it into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with edible flowers.
For the Jamun syrup:
Take 500 gms of jamun pulp and 350 ml of water in a clean saucepan.
Mix it well until the water and pulp comes together. Fine strain the mixture.
Add 700 gms of castor sugar to the jamun juice and heat it on a slow flame in a saucepan till the sugar dissolves into the juice.
Post straining, pour it in a clean sterile bottle and refrigerate.
Tip: There has to be a dry shake before shaking the drink with ice to get fine foam. Use fresh jamun if possible. The drink tastes the best with the use of fresh ingredients.
