293) GUAVA CANDY

GUAVA CANDY

A PURE FRUIT CANDY FOR EVERYONE

Introduction:

          Five years ago, my husband planted 9 different varieties of guava plants in our compound, each one with its own unique flavour, taste, size and goodness. We grew them organically and now they often bear fruits so heavily that even after birds eat their fill and visiting family members and friends take with them basketfuls when they return, we still have more. So I often make guava jam or guava candy to the delight of children and adults alike.

          Did you know that guava has many medicinal properties? Eating a raw guava gives you instant relief from acidity or heartburn. People suffering from tonsillitis, sore throat or influenza are greatly benefited by sipping hot water in which a couple of tender guava leaves have been boiled. Eating guavas is good for digestion.

          Even cows instinctively eat guava leaves when they suffer from stomach-ache or worms. If possible, be sure to plant a guava tree in your courtyard. Here is a simple recipe for delicious pure guava candy.

Ingredients:

     1)    Fully ripe guava pieces after discarding the seed core – 500 gm.

     2)    Sugar – 1 kg.

     3)    Citric acid (optional) – 2 pinches

     4)    Cooking oil (to grease the plate / tray) – 1 teaspoon

To cook:

          Put the guava in your food processor and grind to a nice smooth paste. Grease a wide shallow steel plate or tray with the cooking oil and set aside. Put the paste and the sugar in a pan or a copper bottom steel vessel and set on high heat. Stir continuously till the paste starts to thicken. As it does, it gets harder to stir.

To test if the paste is ready, keep a small bowl with a centimetre (½ inch) of water. Let fall a few drops of hot paste into the water. As soon as they have cooled, take out of the water and squeeze between your fingers. If the globules feel hard and rubbery, the candy is nearly ready. You can see translucence of the paste is being replaced by opaque, silvery sugary patterns. Moreover, the breaking bubbles give out hardly any steam.

Now switch off the heat. Carefully and quickly, pour the paste over the greased plate or tray. Drizzle a few drops of oil over the hot paste. Use the greased bottom of a large spoon to smoothen the hot paste uniformly.

Once the candy is cool, it will stick tightly to the plate or tray. Keep a clean wide cutting board ready. Use asbestos gloves or tongs to hold the plate or tray over the gas stove for a minute or two till its bottom gets hot.

Now tap the plate or tray upside down gently upon the cutting board. The candy will fall out easily. Cut into small pieces before it gets too cold. Store in an airtight container within reach of children and see how quickly it empties.

Enjoy!!!

Notes:

     1)    It is not compulsory to use citric acid in making this candy. I sometimes use it only because our guavas are quite sweet and less tangy as they are organic.

     2)    You might like to use moulds to make candy in different shapes or just use butter paper to wrap the pieces.

     3)    If you find the process of greasing the plate or tray too cumbersome, you can line it with butter paper or wax paper.