Instant Pot Nasturtium Grapefruit Marmalade

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Ever wondered what to do with your fresh harvest of Nasturtium flowers or with Grapefruit? Try this Instant Pot Nasturtium Grapefruit marmalade. An easy, deliciously sweet and tangy marmalade using fresh nasturtium flowers and grapefruit. 

An easy peasy one-pot recipe which uses a very few ingredients. It needs little monitoring and can easily be combined along side your other task.

Making Marmalade/Jam/Preserves/Jelly at home

Making marmalade or any jam/jelly is not difficult at all. A few things if you follow you would have some delicious preserves made. And if you are growing your own food this is a good way to preserve your summer garden harvest. 

Secondly, it is better than store brought ones. Free from preservatives and you are in control of what you add.  

I have been growing quite a few edible herbs this summer. Some had good success and some failed. Nasturtium is one of them. 

Nasturtium the edible plant?

If you are growing Nasturtium you might be aware that the whole plant, leaves, stems, flowers and seeds are edible. I am growing it for the first time this year and I am already loving this delicious and healthy herb. Nasturtium is believed to be rich in Vitamin C and improves the immune system.

I am making a lot of recipe from all of it, and this Nasturtium marmalade is one of them. Do not worry you will not taste the flowers, or your marmalade will not scream nasturtium. I have added it in small quantity and it leaves a slight peppery taste, but not sure if you would actually be able to distinguish it.

Ingredients used in this Nasturtium Grapefruit marmalade

It just uses a few ingredients, 

Nasturtium flowers – Homegrown and organic. All colorful Nasturtium flowers can be used .

Grapefruit  – I prefer buying organic and unwaxed and especially when I am using the whole fruit.

Sugar – I have used Demerara Sugar, but one can use granulated sugar as well

Cinnamon – Used just for flavouring is optional and can be skipped.

Water – Normal Drinking water is used

Pectin Free Marmalade

It is pectin free marmalade or jelly. As grapefruit is from the citrus family, there is no need to add any pectin in this. Pectin in grapefruit is concentrated in seeds, its membranes and the white pith. 

For this marmalade, I am using the whole fruit along with the skin. I have not separated the white part or removed the white pith at all. Hence it leaves a slightly tangy aftertaste. But you will not taste it when you spread it on bread or enjoy it with granola. You will taste it only when you eat only the marmalade as is.

Sugar in Marmalade

• First, with respect to the amount of sugar, it is needed for any jam or marmalade to achieve a jelly-like consistency.

• Second, Sugar also acts as a preservative in jams and marmalade, so it is advisable to not cut on sugar.

• Third, as we are making a jam with grapefruit to overcome the acidic and bitter taste the sugar is needed. 

Instant Pot or Open Pot

One can use both Instant pot or open pot to make this marmalade. However, making it in the open pot would take a bit of time. I used an Instant pot to reduced the cooking time. I have used the skin of the grapefruit along with the pith in this marmalade. As it is a little hard, I thought to pressure cook it in an Instant pot so that the skin gets soft.

Recipe process of Instant pot Nasturtium Grapefruit marmalade

This recipe needs a little planning. The grapefruit needs soaking overnight or for 6-8 hours. It helps to soften the peel as well as helps to release the pectin. So if you are making it in the morning, do the cutting and soaking the day before and if you are making it in the evening do it in the morning.

The next day I pressure cooked the grapefruit along with the water for 10 minutes on high in Instant Pot. Once the pressure was released and the pin dropped I added sugar, Nasturtium flowers and let it cook further for 30-40 minutes on saute mode. 

You can check if the marmalade is done using a wrinkle test on a cold plate. Just pop a steel plate in the freezer for 10-15 minutes. Once the marmalade seems to be done, add a drop or teaspoon to the plate. Wait for a min and then press it against your fingers. If the surface wrinkles it means it is done. 

Alternatively, you can use a candy thermometer. Once the temperature reaches 104.5 deg c or 220 deg F you are done. Switch off. Do not let it go over 220 Deg F or the jam or marmalade will ruin it.  

Lastly, I added a little cinnamon for taste. You can completely skip it if required. The consistency of the marmalade would be a little runny but it will thicken once it is cooled. So do not worry.

How to enjoy this Marmalade

• Best known as a spread on a toast for breakfast.

• Can be used as a spread on flatbreads and crackers

• Can be used in cakes and biscuits

• Glaze for your non-veg dishes or simply as a dipping sauce

Substitutions

• Nasturtium Flowers is one of the main ingredients here, but if you cannot source it, you can skip it altogether or replace it with Marigold or Calendula flowers. They are edible too.
• Grapefruit can be replaced with equal amount of oranges.

Few tips while making any Jam, Jelly or Marmalade.

• Keep everything sterilised and clean.

• The jars should be well sterilized in hot water and completely dry before using. You can sun dry or oven dry them.

• To store any Jam, Jelly, Marmalade, chutneys, preserves it is best to use glass jars. 

• Use clean kitchen towels.

• Use clean and sterilize vessels, knives or anything you are using.

• Always use a clean and sterile spoon to take the marmalade out of the jars. 

• Cooking time may vary as it depends on a lot of factors. How thick or thin you have cut the fruit, the size of the pan as well as the heat at which you are boiling the fruit.

• Use a large vessel to cook, as the sugar bubbles up and there are chances to spill over. 

• A candy thermometer is not essential but if it would help you determine the setting point accurately. 

• The marmalade might be liquid at the start. It will thicken as it cools down. Wait for a day and then check. If it is still thick, then you can re-boil it, till done.  One can even add around half lemon juice to help it thicken.

• Cool down completely and then fill it in glass jars.

Few Nasturtium Recipes on my blog

Did you try our Nasturtium Leaves & Stems Raita (Yogurt Dip)? It is an easy dip made using the leaves and stems of Nasturtium, yogurt, cumin powder and salt. Goes well as a dip to your starters or kebabs or simply to enjoy with parathas or Biryanis.

Another recipe with Nasturtium is this Nasturtium Blossoms Avocado Guacamole, a delicious way to use the blossoms and give your avocado guacamole a different taste. I also like to use the Nasturtium seeds and make this, Pickled Nasturtium Seeds (Nasturtium Capers). They are tangy peppery little bites that are pickled in vinegar along with spices of your choice and goes well in salads and sandwiches.

Few Jam Recipes on my blog

• Sugar-Free Berry Chia Jam (Instant Pot & Open Pot Method)

• Pectin Free Homemade Mix Fruit Jam

Few Chutney & Preserve Recipes on my blog

• Easy Green Tomato Chutney
• Avocado Basil Pesto
• Odia’s Sapuri khatta | Pineapple Sweet & Sour Chutney
• Amla Dhaniya Chutney | Indian Gooseberry & Coriander Chutney
• Kairi ki Launji (Sweet & Sour Mango Chutney)
• Green Coriander Chutney (No onion No Garlic)

So here goes the recipe of Instant pot Nasturtium Grapefruit marmalade

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