Java Plum or popularly known as “Duhat”,  is a fruit tree found mostly wild throughout the Philippines.  The fruits is a shiny, dark-purple to black that gets to about 1½ inches long. Each contains a single large oblong seed surrounded by a thin layer of yellowish pulp.

The pulp is juicy and acid but often has an undesirable astringent taste. The astringency can be reduced by soaking the plums in salt water before cooking.  The astringent taste, deters people from using the Java Plum from making fine jam, jelly or wine, or can be cooked in other forms.  In fact a very taste wine can be made from these plums.  To remove the seeds, push them through a hole in a thin board which is sized to strip off the pulp.

In this recipe, we will make jelly using Java Plum or Duhat.  A new variations of jelly that we seldom see in the market.  It is easy to make and the ingredients  are easy to find.  Try to make  Java Plum Jelly and start you own business at home.

Ingredients:

• 1 ¾ cups java plum juice
• 1 ¼ cups water
• ½ cup lemon or lime juice
• 7 cups sugar
• ½ cup liquid pectin

Procedure:

1. Combine water and plum juice
2. Bring to boil.
3. Add sugar and heat to brisk roll
4. Boil vigorously for one minute.
5. Remove from heat, skim, and pour quickly into hot sterilized jars.
6. Seal.

Note:  The plum contains little or no pectin, so it is necessary to combine the juice with fruit of high pectin content, or
to use commercial pectin, in order to make jelly.

Source: Elizabeth C. Shephard; Photo: ruthie822.blogspot.com