I am on the roll making use of fresh Mango in my drinks and desserts. This particular recipe is not a drink or a dessert, but something sweet and tangy that you can add on top of your toast, oatmeal, yogurt, pancakes, even on sundae. Today I am going to show you another easy, fun and delicious way to use Mango. You can use frozen or fresh, but if you can get hold of fresh Mango, go for that one. We are making, Chunky Mango Chia Seed Jam today.

About This Recipe

• Ease in Making the Recipe: Homemade Jam might sound scary, but really it’s not that hard. There are technical skills that you need to know to be able to make it at home. All you need to do is to combine all the ingredients in a pan and bring to a simmer until the juice from the Mange is release and the consistency is thick to your preference. Just like that. Since this is a chunky jam version, you do not even need to pass this into a sieve. The chunks is what makes this jam special.
• Ingredients: 5 simple and easy to find ingredients is all that you need to male this. The chia sees is probably the one that you don’t have on hand but this is easy to find now. You can even make this without the chia seed if you do not have it.
• Texture, Taste & Flavor: This jam is chunky and this is what makes it special. You can of course make it smooth by making it into a purée but I really like the chunky version. I like that it is not overwhelmingly sweet, but if you prefer a sweeter jam, feel free to increase the sweetener. Since we used all fresh and real Mango, that’s what you will get. A taste of real Mango.
• Make-Ahead: Definitely Yes. This stores well in the refrigerator so you can make it even days in advance if you want to serve it for breakfast. It’s always nice to have a jar of Jam on hand when you want it.

How to Make Mango Chia Seed Jam

Everything is done in one pan, we can probably call this one pan homemade Mango Jam. Add all the ingredients in the pan and bring to a simmer. The moisture of the Mango will melt the sugar, and the cornstarch will help thicken the jam. It is very important to use a sweet Mango, pick something that is ripe but still form to the touch. Skip the ones that are soft and starts to have black spots, and at the same time we also don’t want something that is pale and lightly ripen. The ripeness of the Mango will greatly affect the taste of the end product. I’ve tried making this before with a lightly ripe Mango and it turned out horrible. Even with sugar, the jam still taste sour.

Cooking time will vary depending on how thick or thin you want the jam to be. Bear in mind that the longer the cooking time, the more redux and thick it will be. Also take into account that the jam will thicken a lot as it cools.

You have an option to make this a smooth by using a blender to purée the mixture. It is my intention to have this as chunky so I totally skip the blending process.

What is Chai Seed? 

Chia seeds are tiny black seeds from the plant Salvia hispanica, which is related to the mint. Chia seeds were an important food for the Aztecs and Mayans back in the day. They prized them for their ability to provide sustainable energy. In fact, “chia” is the ancient Mayan word for “strength.” Despite their ancient history as a dietary staple, chia seeds became recognized as a modern-day super-food only recently. In the past few years, they have exploded in popularity and are now consumed by health conscious people all over the world. Don’t be fooled by the size — these tiny seeds pack a powerful nutritional punch.

Ingredients for Mango Chia Seed Jam

• Mango – use sweet, ripe but still firm Mango. This is crucial in achieving a delicious jam that you cannot stop spreading on your toast.
• Granulated White Sugar – I made jam before that uses Honey, you can also do that here.
• Chia Seed – Black or White chia seed will work. If you do not have one, you can skip it. The consistency will be not as thick as chia seed helps thicken the jam. You can add 1 teaspoon more of cornstarch.
• Cornstarch – Along with the chia seed, the cornstarch acts as a sweetener for the jam.
• Lemon juice – this adds a nice fresh taste and also balances the sweetness of the jam. It also helps thicken the jam because of the natural pectin present in lemon.

Benefits of Chai Seed

• Chia Seeds Deliver a Massive Amount of Nutrients With Very Few Calories
• Chia Seeds Are Loaded With Antioxidants
• Almost All the Carbs in Them Are Fiber
• Chia Seeds Are High in Quality Protein
• The High Fiber and Protein Content in Chia Seeds May Help You Lose Weight
• Chia Seeds Are High in Omega-3 Fatty Acids
• Chia Seeds May Lower Your Risk of Heart Disease
• They’re High in Many Important Bone Nutrients
• Chia Seeds May Reduce Blood Sugar Levels
•  They May Reduce Chronic Inflammation
• Chia Seeds Are Easy to Incorporate Into Your Diet

Difference Between Homemade Jam and Store-Bought Jam

I used to buy store-bought jams, convenient and easy, right? We cannot argue with that, but once you try making homemade jam you will be surprised how so much better it is than store-bought. The main thing I noticed was the consistency and texture. Store-bought jams have jelly like thick consistency, it is clearer (again like a jelly) and has more-sweeter taste and less tartness. The jelly  like texture is attributed to an ingredient called “Pectin” which helps thickens the jam to have a jelly like consistency. You can buy buy ‘Pectin’ and add it in your homemade jam, but I never add any in my homemade jams and they turned out just fine. If does not have the transparency and jelly like texture, but I seem to like it that way. I can taste the flavor of the fruit better, the tartness of the berry stands out more.

Homemade Jams are less sweet, less thick and have more real fruity fresh taste more than the sugary taste. Because of this, I would say, it is 100% better than store-bought, just my thoughts.  

How to Thicken Homemade Jam without Pectin

If you are using a citrus fruit or berries to make the jam, these already have natural Pectin in them. Of course it is not as enhance as when you add more, but the natural Pectin is a good start. 

• Powder Pectin – You can now buy a powered pectin is you really want to get as close as possible to store-bought jam. My personal preference, don’t bother. The other two option below are easier find and works great too. 
• Cornstarch is an option to make the jam thicker. I like to add few teaspoons in my homemade, this plus the sweetneer helps thicken the sauce 
• Chia Seed, is another great option to thicken the jam. In fact, adding chia seed gives the jam a jelly like consistency and texture. Bonus plus, chia seed is a good source of protein, a little goes a long way. I’ve added chia seed when I made my Blackberry Chia Seed Jam and Strawberry Chia Seed Jam which is the inspiration for this chunky version and they both turned out great, so I decided to make this chunky version as well.

How is this different from regular jam?

• It has chia seed in it
• It has a lighter and less thick consistency compared to regular jelly like solid jam
• It has subtle sweetness instead of overly sweet jam

Ingredients:

• 2 large ripe and sweet Mango – diced
• 1/4 cup Granulated White Sugar
• 1 tablespoon Chia Seed (Black or White)
• 2 teaspoon Cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon Lemon juice

Instructions:

1. Make the Mango Jam: Mix diced Mango, sugar, lemon juice, chia seed and cornstarch. Put over medium heat for about 15 minutes. Continue stirring to avoid burning and sticking to the pan. The Mango will start to soften and the juice will come out. The consistency will be liquidy and watery for few minutes but when most of the water evaporates, the consistency will start to thicken. The sauce will get thicker as it cools.
2. Let cool: Set aside and let it cool. Transfer in a jar and cover.

How to Store Homemade Jam/Berries Sauce

Transfer the jam in a clean sterilized jars. The process of jar storage differs depending on how long you intend to keep it. For long term storage (1 year, although some post says it could last up to 3 years!) you need to first sterilize the jars before using to make sure it is clean and free of contaminants. Once jarred, sealed it and submerge it how water for about 20 minutes. Let cool then store in the refrigerator. For shorter storage life, like when making small batch like this, the process is simpler. Simply transfer the cooked jam on a jar, seal and let cool. Of course you always have to start with a clean jar to begin with. Although homemade jam doesn’t have any preservatives, the sugar itself acts as one. Jam should be stored in the refrigerator to lessen exposure to contaminants. Mine lasted for 1-2 months at least, which is not bad at all. I like making jams close to the end of Summer season so that I can still have it until Winter time. The more sugar is added, the longer the shelf life.

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