Eggplant jam with cinnamon is the kind of jam that will make your whole house smell like heaven…
Ever heard of Eggplant jam? It’s very popular in the Middle East and reminds me of when I was a child we would visit Damascus for short vacations, and my parents always bought candied fruits such as apricots, figs, apples, as well as little eggplants! And you would be surprised at how good does this jam taste, sweet little eggplants with cinnamon and walnuts is a very delicious spread to have on toast for breakfast!
This recipe is my Mum’s (Thank you Mum for the awesome recipe, I love it!). For this kind of jam you have to make sure that the eggplants are not bitter, and in case if they are, you have to soak them in water and leave overnight to make sure that the bitterness goes away. I used small globe eggplants like the one that you can see in the pictures of this post, they are called “Makdoos” in Jordan, pretty easy to work with, and you just have to peel the skin off. This jam took 3 days to be ready, and the reason is because if the jam mixture is cooked in one day then the eggplants can become too soft and mushy!
I love the combination of candied eggplants, cinnamon, and walnuts. Although walnuts are optional in the recipe, but I highly recommend that you add some, unless you’re allergic or something.
Eggplant and Cinnamon Jam
Sweet eggplant cinnamon jam the Middle Eastern way
Ingredients
- 1 kg eggplants small
- 1 kg sugar
- 1 emon juiced
- 4 cinnamon sticks
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
- water just to cover the eggplants in saucepan
Instructions
- Peel the skin off the eggplants (if bitter you have to soak in water overnight).
- Place eggplants in a large saucepan and cover with water, bring to boil then change water so remove bitterness.
- Again cover with clean water, bring to boil then lower the heat, add sugar and cinnamon sticks and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
- Turn off , cover pan with lid, and let it stand at room temperature until the next day.
- On the next day, place pan on a medium heat for 20 minutes and simmer.
- On the third day, repeat what you did on the second day, and at the end add juice of one lemon, walnuts, and remove from heat. Let jam stand for about 15 minutes so that the fruit can settle. Pour into sterilised jars, label and seal.
Recipe Notes
*The reason why this jam is made in 3 stages, is because if you cook it in one day the eggplants might become too soft and mushy and can fall apart.
*I haven't added quantities as it depends on how much jam do you want to make and what consistency do you prefer.
*walnuts are optional
*if you love cinnamon you can add a tbsp or 2 of ground cinnamon
I tried this at my bf’s aunties in turkey. She used cloves in her. They are delicious.
I miss my nan’s green tomato jam. No one has ever heard of it in the UK, it always raises eyebrows when I mention it. You’ve reminded me I need to ask my mum for the recipe and learn to make it myself. Thanks!
Interesting jam, I never knew that you con use eggplant! I would most definitely love to try my luck at making this. Thanks Diana 🙂
I bet this jam tastes amazing and I love the addition of cinnamon and walnuts, would be good at Christmas:-) Thanks for linking to my fig jam:-)
Wow, this looks really lovely – would have never thought of using aubergine in jam but sounds really delicious! Thanks for linking to my cherry & raspberry jam too!
I’ve never thought of this, but sounds fantastic!
I must admit I’ve never heard of eggplant jam! But I’m so intrigued by it! I love eggplants but never had it in a ‘sweet’ recipe. Definitely something I need to try! 😀
Wow I had literally never heard of or even considered that egg plants could be made into jam!! I’m a little dubious as to how this tastes and whether I’d like it but it’s definitely something I’d like to try. Not sure I’d be able to make this sort of thing myself, do you know where you can buy this stuff?
Laura @ What’s Hot?