Strawberries grow in abundance during the summer months and whenever I go to Pick n Pay, I have a habit of buying ingredients in bulk when they’re marked down.

This recipe is not mine. It rests between the pages of my 2019 Food Diary and ever since I saw it, I’ve been prickling to make a small pot for myself. Mainly because it takes 10 minutes to make and has a lower sugar content than my original jam recipe. I’ve tweaked this recipe slightly and have added lemon to make it last a little longer in the fridge. But ideally, you shouldn’t keep this jam for longer than a month.

Did you know: Preserving fruit and making jam dates back to Roman times when sugar didn’t exist. Jams were made with honey instead. Sugar and salt are similar in that it can preserve almost anything. In WW2 I’ve read that the British government increased sugar rations to allow people to preserve whatever they could during harvest months. Also fruits that are slightly under ripe make the best jam.

Ingredients (Makes 1 cup of jam)

1 1/2 cups of fresh strawberries

1/8 cup chia seeds

1/8 cup of honey

1/8 cup water

1/2 tsp ginger

pinch of salt

Squeeze of lemon juice and 1 tsp lemon zest

Method

1. Stir all the ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat.

2. Let the fruit get soft and break it up a little with your spoon as you stir. A jam-like consistency will start to appear - this will take 10 minutes.

3. Your jam is done when the color turns a deep purple. Don’t let it get too thick on the stove otherwise when it cools it will be a hard jelly.

4. Let your jam cool completely before eating. If you’re storing it in a jar, transfer from the pan after 5 minutes and cover the top of the jam with a piece of wax wrap before sealing.