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Follow our simple step-by-step recipe to make this versatile chilli, tomato and pepper jam. Charring the veg first adds extra smoky flavour to this sweet and spicy spread that you'll find yourself reaching for at every meal – try it in sandwiches, as a burger relish, with grilled meats or on a cheese board. Don't forget to take a screenshot of the ingredients list below before you go shopping!
Heat a griddle pan over a high heat. Add 2 x 60g packs red chillies and 2 large red peppers and cook for 15 mins, turning every few mins, until evenly charred. This adds a light smoky flavour to the jam. The chillies and peppers should be well-charred all over so that the skins peel away easily.
Transfer to a bowl and cover with clingfilm. Covering the bowl with clingfilm keeps the steam in the bowl, helping to soften the flesh of the veg, which makes it easier to remove the skin.
As soon as the chillies and peppers are cool enough to handle, use your hands to peel the skin away from the flesh. You need to remove the charred skin or it will add a bitter flavour to the jam. Discard the skins, stalks and seeds.
Transfer to a food processor with 500g halved tomatoes and blitz until smooth. Tip into a large saucepan and add 2 chopped garlic cloves, 1 tsp grated ginger, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 300g soft brown sugar, 100ml white wine vinegar, the juice of 1 lemon and ½ tsp salt; bring to a rolling boil. The aim of a ‘rolling boil’ is to get the jam to its setting point as quickly as possible. It should boil rapidly so that stirring doesn’t stop it bubbling. Put a saucer in the freezer.
Reduce the heat to medium; simmer for 45-50 mins, stirring frequently to prevent sticking, until the mix is a deep red-brown colour and most of the liquid has evaporated. The jam is ready when a spoonful placed on the cold saucer sets immediately and you can clear a line through it with a spoon. This ensures the jam will be thick, spreadable and not watery. If it doesn’t set, keep boiling and retest every 5 mins, on a cold saucer each time.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to its lowest setting. Wash 3 x 180ml jars and their lids in hot soapy water, then rinse thoroughly and shake out the excess. Put upright jars and lids on a baking tray in the oven for 10-15 mins until completely dry. This stage is essential to stop bacteria from getting in. The jars must still be hot when you add the jam.
Remove the sterilised jars from the oven; immediately and carefully spoon in the jam. Seal the lids and allow to cool completely before adding labels. You can use the jam once cold, but it will keep unopened for months in a cool, dark place. Once opened, keep in the fridge and use within 1 month.
This spicy condiment pairs well with grilled fish or chicken – try it at a barbecue.
Use it as a relish in a burger, or to add a kick to toasted sandwiches.
The jam is also the perfect complement to any cheese platter.
If you want to reduce the spiciness, mellow the heat of the chillies by blanching them whole in a pan of boiling water for 2 mins, before halving and deseeding.
We've made a handy shopping list so you can get everything you need to make this spicy jam. Don't forget to take a screenshot before you go shopping!
2 x 60g packs red chillies 2 large red peppers 500g tomatoes, halved 2 garlic cloves, chopped 1 tsp grated ginger (2cm piece, peeled) 2 tbsp soy sauce 300g soft brown sugar 100ml white wine vinegar 1 lemon, juiced ½ tsp salt
Serves 40
of the reference intake Carbohydrate 9g Protein 0.3g Fibre 0.4g
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