Murabba  – Irumban Puli / Bilimbi Murabba

By  Dr. Vaheeda Nawas

“Murabba” is an Arab word which refers to a sweet and sour jam or pickle in Arab Countries as well as the Indian Sub Continent. Here is an easy recipe for a delicious Bilimbi Fruit / Irumaban Puli Murabba.

You can also use this Murabba to make  Sweet & Sour Pickle  and Vilimbi – Dates Pulincurry. Recipes included.

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IRUMBAN PULI / BILIMBI MURABBA

Ingredients;

•  1 Kg Bilimbi (Vilimbi / Irumban Puli / Averrhoa bilibi /Belimbing  Sayyur /Assam)
•  1 pinch Lime (Calcium carbonate)
• Water
• 300 gm Sugar

Method:

• Take fresh, firm vilimbi. Clean removing the dried calyx and with a fork prick the fruit all over.
• Dissolve lime (calcium carbonate) in 1 liter of water, set aside for half an hour for the lime to settle and decant the water. Discard the settled lime.
• Immerse the vilimbi in this water for 12- to 15 hours.
• Wash the vilimbi thoroughly several times.
• 
• Add sugar and the vilimbi to an earthen pot and cook on slow fire, stirring occasionally with a wooden spatula.
• 
• The sugar will slowly melt. Continue stirring occasionally till a one – string consistency is achieved. ( When a drop pulled apart, between your thumb and index finger, forms a single string).
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• Take care to maintain a low temperature, for the sugar may caramalise suddenly, giving the murabba a bitter taste.
• Also keep in mind that the earthen pot will  cause the mixture to boil even after removed from heat  – so extra care is necessary to see that the sugar is not burnt.

This Murabba can be made into –

Sweet & Sour pickle

By seasoning it with

• 2 Tbsp Oil
• 1 tsp Mustard seeds
•  1 tsp Fenugreek
• 1 Tbsp Thinly sliced Garlic
• 1 TbspThinly sliced Ginger
• 1 Tbsp Chilli podwer-1tbsp
• ¼ Tbsp turmeric powder
• Asafoetida powder-1 tsp
• Salt

Vilimbi – Dates Pulincurry 

Ingredients:

• 5 Tbsp Vilimbi Murabba
• 15 Dates,  deseeded
• 2 Tbsp Cashewnuts, broken
•  2 Tbsp Raisins
•  2 Dry Red chillies
• 3 thinly chopped Green chillies
• 1 tsp Mustard seeds
• 1 Tbsp Garlic, thinly sliced
•  1Tbsp Ginger, thinly sliced
• 1 tsp Fenugreek powder
• 1 tsp Chilly powder
•  ¼ tsp Turmeric powder
•  2 Tbsp Tamarind pulp
• a few curry leaves
•  2 Tbsp Oil
• 1 Tbsp Ghee

Method:

• Heat oil in a pan, splutter mustard seeds.
• Add broken dried red chili and curry leaves followed by cashew nuts.
• When  cashew nuts turn brown, add raisins, garlic, ginger, green chilly  and dates.
• Sauté for some time till all ingredients are softened a slightly changing color.
• Add chilly powder, turmeric powder, salt  to taste and finally add  the Vilimbi Murabba and tamarind pulp boil for few minutes till the gravy thickens.
• This can be used as a delicious side dish for ghee rice, biriyani etc.

Murabba  – Irumban Puli / Bilimbi Murabba

Key Ingredients: Bilimbi, Sugar, Water,

Let us know if you tried it – Murabba  – Irumban Puli / Bilimbi Murabba . Comments from you provide motivation to keep up the driving force behind this blog, bringing you more delicious and perfected recipes regularly. Please do leave a comment. We love to hear from you.