Mandarin orange Marmalade

Winter is the best season to buy oranges as they grow abundantly here. Recently hubby bought me a crate of Mandarin oranges, as I love them very much. On seeing that I wanted to make some marmalade, as I admire Ina's and Alton Brown's orange marmalade in food TV network shows. My version is a combination of both recipes and learned a few tips through internet. I totally enjoyed the whole process, as the orange smell filled the whole house and gives us a cheerful feeling. I did a small batch only, as I am yet to learn canning process. I used pectin to bring the runny jam to a spreading consistency. The result is very good and we got a big batch of homemade mandarin marmalade. Hubby dear loves this marmalade very much along with bread for breakfast. Nowadays he wants me to make all kinds of jams at home:) Try this and enjoy the sweet orange marmalade.

Mandarin orange marmalade in glass bottles I saved. Happy New year!

Bright and cheerful oranges.

Cooking the orange the previous night is essential.

I used peels from some mandarins only, as I wanted to make a sweeter jam.

Pectin gives a good texture for all preserves. Nowadays I am making homemade pectin too.

Ingredients:
Mandarin oranges - 14
sugar - 4 cup
lemon - 1
water - 2 cup

Method:
Wash the oranges and lemon , wipe clean. Air dry them. Take half the number of mandarins, quarter and slice them very thinly.
Discard any seeds.
Peel the other half of mandarins, discard the peels (I keep the peels for making orange peel powder).
Remove the skin, pith, seeds and take out the juicy orange alone.
In a thick bottom vessel add the chopped mandarin, mandarin flesh,  2 cups water and cook the oranges till the peel turns tender.  Add sugar and bring to a boil.
Switch off and leave them to soak overnight.
The next day start heating the jam and cook till it gets almost thick (spreadable consistency). It will take nearly 1 hour.
If you are going for a long term preserve, then follow the instructions of a canning expert, as I made a 'refrigerator type jam' only.
If the consistency is still runny, add 1/2 a sachet of pectin (1 jar pack) and heat till it is more thick.
Let cool and store in well cleaned glass bottles.
Mandarin orange marmalade is ready!

Tips:

This marmalade made of mandarin orange is sweeter than the British marmalade.
Serve with bread toast or chapati.
We can use the peels of entire batch, but my version is more sweeter.
Homemade marmalade or preserve are  healthy, delicious ,economical and gives the cook a kind of satisfaction:)
Orange Marmalade is good for health when consumed with breakfast.