547. Fruit Jelly

Happy Holi everyone

   It's #Foodiemonday #bloghop day already. A group of 12 that post every month on different themes. We are still continuing with the Holi festival as Holi is just round the corner. Last week it was thandai based recipes and this week we are allowed to cook with a riot of colours. Choose one, two or many. I am waiting to see what my co members of this group come up with. I decided to work with 2 colours orange and red for the 32nd theme #FestivalofColors. 

   It had to a quick and easy recipe as I had travelled to Malindi for my Club's(Lions Club of Mombasa Bahari) medical camp.Please do check out our website http://www.lionsbahari.com/
The sweltering heat was made bearable by the lovely cool breeze from the sea. The camp was held for 4 days where patients requiring re- constructive surgery, normal surgery were operated on. The plastic surgeon was able to repair a cleft palate for a tiny baby and the mother couldn't stop praising us. She kept on telling us that hope Allah blesses the doctors with all good things in life. My hubby also conducted a dermatology camp. The extreme heat brings along a variant of skin ailments. During these camps we come across illness or deformities among the poor that we cannot even imagine. All this of course is impossible to carry out without the generous donations from the public, and various business companies. 

   So I had just a day or two to prepare my dish before I travelled. I decided on a simple but very cooling dessert. It was just the right thing hubby and I needed to keep a bit cool. I'd wanted to make fruit jelly for a long time. So when the group was busy discussing on colours, fruit jelly it was. Fruit jelly is something different that you can serve during the Holi party. Can be prepared the day before. 

FRUIT JELLY
Makes about 12 big or 24 mini ones

2 cups water
3 tsp agar agar powder (3 tbsp agar agar flakes)
½ - ¾ cup purple/black grapes
¼ - ¾ cup orange or tangerine segments
4-6 tbsp sugar

1. If you are using mini molds then you will need to cut the orange segments into half and also cut the grapes into half.
2. Keep your molds ready. I used 12 mini cupcake molds and a few normal cupcake molds. 
3. Pour water into a pan. Add the agar agar. 
4. Bring the water to a boil.
5. Lower the heat and stir till the agar agar dissolves or melts completely. The liquid appears clear.
6. Add sugar and mix till it dissolves.
7. Remove the pan from the heat.
8. Put a piece of orange segment and grape into each mold.
9. Pour the agar agar mixture into the molds.
10. Pop any bubbles that may appear with a toothpick.
11. Put it in the fridge to set. This will take about 2-3 hours for a firm set.
12. Remove from the mold.
13. Serve on its own or with a scoop of ice cream.

Tips:

• Use fruits of your choice like strawberries, blueberries, mango, kiwi, pomegranate etc.
• I used silicone molds, if you do not have them use small bowls or glasses. You can set one big one in a jelly mold and then cut into pieces when you serve.
• Use white sugar to get the clear jelly look.
• Use sugar according to your taste. I used only 4 as I didn't want it too sweet.
• Because of the hot weather I used 3 tbsp agar agar flakes to get a firm jelly.

You may want to check out the following :

thandai cookies

thandai mousse

thandai kulfi

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