Cranberry Relish

 Cranberries were a staple for Native Americans, who harvested wild cranberries and used them in a variety of remedies, foods and drinks.

 Commercial cranberry cultivation started in the United States in 1816.  When Captain Henry Hall, a Revolutionary war veteran, came across a cranberry vine thriving in some sand on Cape Cod, he became the first person to successfully cultivate cranberries. 

 “It has been an unchallengeable American doctrine that cranberry sauce, a pink goo with overtones of sugared tomatoes, is a delectable necessity of the Thanksgiving board and that turkey is inedible without it.” 

 

Many people consider cranberries to be a superfood due to their high nutrient and antioxidant content.

In fact, research has linked the nutrients in cranberries to a lower risk of urinary tract infection (UTI), the prevention of certain types of cancer, improved immune function, and decreased blood pressure.

 They are also a good source of vitamin C.

This  relish I prepare usually for Thanksgiving dinner and it is relished by one and all. This year, Thanksgiving was not celebrated in our household due to Covid 19 situation, even we asked our son to cancel his trip from New York. But visit to the grocery store after Thanksgiving provided me the opportunity to get hold of 2 bags of Cranberries, One I used in this relish, another I'm planning to make a curry which we used to make in India with Karonda.

Ingredients:

1. Cranberries -1 bag (12 Oz. or 340 Gm.
2. Green chillies-100 gm.
3. Red chilli powder-3 heaped tsp.
4. Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp.
5. Coriander powder-1 1/2 tsp.
6. Salt
7. Cumin-1 tsp.
8. Refined oil-2 tsp.
9. Jaggery-1 lemon size ball or 2 tsp. sugar

Procedure:

• Wash and cut cranberries into halves.
• Also cut chillies into half inch pieces.
• Heat oil in a pan and add cumin.
• Now add cut green chillies.
• After a couple of seconds, add cranberries, all the spices, salt and jaggery or sugar. 
• Cover and cook on medium low heat for 2 minutes.
• Turn off the heat, Cranberries cook very fast, so no need of overcooking, otherwise it will turn into jelly.
• keep it covered for about 30 minutes so that chillies can turn tender.
• Serve with chapatis and rice.