Grape Jelly {with aniseed and cinnamon}

We have a different sort of humor in India. We love slapstick and are most often caught being politically incorrect. But, I can safely say we mean no harm. Therefore, I have already begun to prepare my baby girl for when we go next. She hasn’t visited in 3 years, but her ties and her emotions to India are very secure. She is deeply Indian even though she only half is.

Her sense of humor, however, is not Indian at all. Here’s an example. It seems all the spiders of the world have migrated to where I live! When we go out of the back to get the bikes out to go to school every morning, I literally have to cross a narrow path filled with the creepy crawly beasts. Left, right, hanging above. This morning was no different. I usually will look around for them, ducking, screaming, getting out of their way as fast as possible. This once, I didn’t see the spider lurking right ahead, in front of me. And I biked right into it. What ensued was a blood curdling scream from me, which probably would wake a dead man. The neighbors must think I’m completely mad!

Getting back to CK’s sense of humor… so I said to her, I think I’m going to kill every single spider in the world. Ugh! I hate them! I was surprised when she, with grave disapproval told me that spiders were good for the earth! Huh??? Mind you she hates them just as much as I do. I, of course continued to tease her on my plans to save the planet from the creepy crawlies. Not only did she get offended at my suggestion but got really angry too?!! “But baby, it was joke” “Not a funny joke!”, she says “you should be more responsible when its the earth at stake!!!” Sigh.

And, then there’s me. I am Indian. I have a handle on Indian humor. I do. Yes I have been away from home for a long time but I fit right back in when I go back. Laughing at all the silliness around me. 🙂

So when I made this grape jelly yesterday and mentioned it to my sister, her caustically sarcastic question was, “What’s next? Grape curry? Grape parantha’s (indian bread)? HAHAHAHA! Uh! Wait, that joke’s on me! Not funny!!!!

650 grams grapes
100 grams jam sugar (you can also use regular sugar)
juice of half a lemon
1 inch cinnamon stick
2 aniseeds

to prepare
In a non-stick pan, bring the grapes to a boil, with the cinnamon and the aniseeds. Lower the heat and cook for another 20 minutes or till the grapes have become pulp. Mash and strain through a sieve. Put the gravy back in the pan and cook again with the sugar and the lemon juice for yet another 20 minutes. Take off the heat. The jelly will thicken as it cools. You’re going to be delighted at how beautiful the color is. I know I was.

Let cool completely before putting in a sterilized jar. Keeps for up to 3 months in the refrigerator.