I have tried many kinds of jam, but I tasted Persian cornelian cherry jam, or Moraba zoghal akhteh, for the first time only recently. Until I traveled to Gilan in northern Iran, I did not even know this jam existed. One morning, it was served to me with Persian breakfast at a local restaurant, and I was immediately curious to try it.
I was amazed by its unique flavor. It had a delicious balance of sweetness and sourness, unlike any jam I had tasted before.
After that, I bought some cornelian cherries and made this wonderful jam myself. Now, I am sharing the recipe with you so you can enjoy it too. Let’s explore the world of Persian jams together and see how this delicious homemade jam is prepared.
Cornelian cherries are harvested in August, and you can usually find them in markets until the end of October. One of the best ways to use this fruit is to make jam.
This way, you can enjoy its unique flavor throughout the year. Zoghal akhteh is known in English as cornelian cherry.
In the following, I have chosen a complete explanation of what the cornelian cherry fruit is from the Wikipedia site, which you can read.
It is a medium to large deciduous shrub or small tree growing to 5–12 m tall, with dark brown branches and greenish twigs. The leaves are opposite, 4–10 cm long and 2–4 cm broad, with an ovate to oblong shape and an entire margin.
The flowers are small (5–10 mm in diameter), with four yellow petals, produced in clusters of 10–25 together in the late winter (between February and March in the UK),[1] well before the leaves appear. The fruit is an oblong red drupe 2 cm long and 1.5 cm in diameter, containing a single seed.
Moraba zoghal akhteh recipe
Cornelian cherry jam is very easy to make. I usually make this jam with the seeds. It is very difficult and time-consuming to remove the blueberry core.
In addition, removing the blueberry core causes the fruit to fall apart, and it does not have a beautiful appearance.
So, I decided to make this jam with kernels. I will explain the necessary ingredients and how to prepare them step by step.
Preparation time:15 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour
Ingredients:
| Cornelian cherry | 2 pound |
| Sugar | 1.2 pound |
Instruction:
1. First, we pour the washed and cleaned cornelian cherry seeds into the pot and do not add a layer of sugar to it. We continue the same way until we pour all the blueberries and sugar into the pot.
2. Then, we put the pot in the refrigerator for 10 hours. After ten hours, take the pot out of the refrigerator and put it on the gas flame until it boils. It takes between 15 and 20 minutes to boil, depending on the number of ingredients.
3. We always put a wooden spatula inside the pot so the jam does not spill. Use another spoon to separate the foam from the jam for a clearer jam. After 45 minutes, the jam is ready.
4. After it cools down, put the jam in a glass container and prepare it for serving. You can use this Persian jam for breakfast with butter and cream, Sangak bread, or Barbari bread.
If you are interested in this jam, I suggest you also check out the recipe for Sharbate Zoghal Akhteh(Cornelian Cherry Syrup) that I published in another post, and enjoy.
Tips for beginners
- Use glazed pots so that the jam has a better color
- While the jam is boiling, put a spoon or a wooden spatula in the pot so that the jam does not overflow.
- To test the consistency of the jam, pour a little of its nectar into a bowl or saucer and let it cool. Put a little nectar between your two fingers and see if it has reached the right concentration.
Nutritional value of Cornelian cherry jam:
This Persian jam has much higher calories than raw cornelian cherry. So, if you are on a slimming diet, it is better not to overdo jam consumption. Every 100 grams of raw cornelian cherry has about 46 calories.
Meanwhile, 100 grams of cornelian cherry jam has 278 kilocalories of energy, which seems like a lot. Its sugar is 48.5 grams, but there are only 4 grams of cornelian cherry.
These berries contain anthocyanins which have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Cornelian cherries also contain organic acids and pectins. They are a very rich source of Vitamin C, and depending on genotype or origin, can contain up to twice the amount of vitamin C in an orange.
Sourced: greekgoesketo
How to serve cornelian cherry jam?
This jam’s taste is sweet and sour, making it useful for making tarts and cakes. Its beautiful red color makes it suitable for decorating all kinds of sweets and cakes.
In Iran, it is used for breakfast with butter and lavash or sangak bread. This jam is also used to decorate cakes, pies, and tarts. Use this jam in ice creams and frozen desserts as well as in cocktails.
It can also be used on cream cakes and desserts. In European countries, this Persian dessert is also served as an evening snack on pancakes with tea.
If you enjoy the sweet-and-sour taste of cornelian cherry jam, you may also like lavashak, another traditional Iranian sour snack.
Moraba Albaloo and Moraba Beh are Iranian jams that are very close and the same colour as this jam.
FAQ
1. How many calories are in zoghal akhteh?
There are 57 calories per 100 grams of zoghal akhteh.
2. What is served with this Persian jam?
This jam is served for breakfast with butter and cream.
3. What is Zoghal Akhteh in English?
Zoghal akhteh in English is called Cornelian Cherry.
4. Can I freeze Cornelian cherry jam?
Usually, for long-term storage of jam, it should be kept in sterilized glass jars, both in the refrigerator and in the cabinet, away from sunlight, and the jam can be stored for a long time.
Hmmey Mahsa jan
This is a perfect cornelian jam recipe
I live it
Tnx alot
Hi dear Marry, I am very glad that this recipe of moraba zoghal akhteh is useful for you.