Homemade Strawberry Crush/Concentrate Recipe with Fresh Basil Leaves and Jaggery |Video Recipe included

Strawberry Crush/Concentrate made with fresh strawberries and basil. A multipurpose recipe that one can use in ice creams, desserts and cocktails.

Recipe for Strawberry Crush made with fresh strawberries and flavored with fresh Basil and without any synthetic sugar. I have used jaggery powder here as sweetener but you can always use castor sugar.

Here in US strawberries are available throughout the year but in India and many other tropical countries these are available for a short period. When strawberries or in fact any fruit is in season make jams, preserves and chutneys so that you can enjoy desserts and cocktails for all round the year.

Strawberry Crush/Concentrate

Homemade Strawberry Crush is very easy to make at home. When stored properly in dry jars and bottles, lasts about six months without any preservatives and about a year with preservatives like Citric Acid or Sodium Benzoate. If like me you also like to make fresh jams, marmalade(Orange Marmalade), chutneys and preserves from fresh fruits at home, then this Strawberry Crush Recipe is just for you!!

Food Preservation has been followed since ancient times. In India making pickles and chutneys is commonly followed to enjoy the produce all the year round, that is available only in particular season. Whenever possible, I try to make chutneys(Mango Chutney), Pickles(carrot pickle, mango and chickpeas pickles) or jams like Raspberry Jam.

We know, in this busy life we all are pressed for time..reaching to stores shelves for our favorite food products seems to be the easiest way out. But with proper planning and time management, one can make these at home.The best part of homemade goods is that we know what goes into the dish.No Corn syrup, no other additives for a longer shelf life and we can control the amount of sugar/salt used.

What is a Fruit Crush

Fruit Crushes mostly popular in India, whereas in USA or other countries these are also known as preserves. Jam have pectin in them thick consistency whereas Crush is mostly fruit based thick syrupy liquid with/without small chunks of fruit.

Fruit Crushes like Strawberry, Orange, Mango and Kiwi are very popular in India and are use in making ice-creams, milkshakes and cocktails.

I feel using crush or fruit concentrate especially in ice-creams, kulfis instead of raw fruits, is a much better option. Using strawberry juice or finely chopped strawberries lead to more icy ice-creams than the smooth creamy texture.

How to make Strawberry Crush/Concentrate

Video Recipe for Strawberry Crush.. CLICK HERE.

There are two ways in which we can make Strawberry Crush.

In first method, strawberries are roughly chopped and cooked directly in sugar, till the desired consistency.

In second method, strawberries are cooked in sugar syrup of one thread consistency, which makes it stay for a longer duration.

I have used Jaggery here, you can use any raw sugar. Raw sugars are more sweeter than castor sugar, so use it as required.

Holi is just a fortnight away. I have prepared my batch of Strawberry Crush that I am going to use in making my family's favourite Strawberry Masala Lemonade and Strawberry Falooda( next recipes to be posted!!). Another very interesting recipe that you can try is by Mayuri's Jikoni Raviloi Dolci, which I am going to try very soon.

Linking this post to my Facebook Foodie group, Healthy Wealthy Cuisines where the theme this fortnight is ColorMania suggested by Poonam. She suggested that we bring some colorful dishes for the theme. I had Strawberry Lemonade in mind but then noticed that till now I haven't posted Strawberry Crush which I use in making ice-creams, popsicles and many other desserts.

Poonam blogs at Annapurna and has a treasure of healthy bakes where she used nutritious flours and raw sugars in her bakes. Clear and Crisp food pics with detailed stepwise pictorial is also a USP of her blog. Do hop on her blog and explore her treasure of healthy recipes. Do try her Strawberry Banana Oats Bars, a delicious and healthy snack recipe.

Checkout what other participating bloggers have made for the event..

Horiatiki Salad by Archana

Beetroot Halwa by Poonam

Rose Falooda by Sasmita

Recipe Card for Strawberry Crush/ Concentrate

Strawberry Crush

Swati

Homemade Strawberry Crush Recipe with fresh Strawberries and fresh Basil leaves.

5 from 4 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Course Condiments

Equipment

• Heavy bottomed Pan
• Knife
• Ladle
• Processor or Chopper to chop strawberries
• Hand Blender (optional)

Ingredients

  

• 1 lbs Fresh Strawberries 500 gms
• ¼ Cup Lemon Juice

For Sugar Syrup

• 1 Cup Sugar( castor or any raw) I used jaggery powder
• 1½ Cup Water
• Pinch of Salt
• 4-5 Basil Leaves optional

Instructions

 

• Wash strawberries very nicely in tap water.
• Cut the green head part and chop roughly. You can use food processor for this.
• In a pan, add 1½ Cup water, add basil leaves and once the water starts to boil, add sugar/jaggery to it.
• Let it boil, till one thread consistency.
• To check the thread formation, coat syrup on a spoon, then carefully after a few seconds, take some between the thumb and index finger and press and pull apart. It should form a single thread.
• Keep strawberry ready and immediately add in boiling syrup.
• Add lemon juice and ¼ tsp salt.
• Mix well and let the mixture cook, till strawberries are mushy. Mash with back of ladle.
• Cook for another 4-5 minutes.If you want a smooth crush, you can blend it in blender or with hand blender. You can use your mixer also, but be very careful do not blend very hot mixture, let it cool.
• Once it completely cools, transfer to clean completely dry sun dried/sterilized.
• Refrigerate and use as required.

Video

Keyword Recipes with Strawberries, Strawberry Crush

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