I am still wondering, why didn’t I do it before? These are the BEST raisins I ate. They are moist, juicy, super fresh and vibrant in colour. It is also very cheap compared to store bought. You just need ONE ingredient. It needs very little work and 3-4 mins of cooking time.
I used to see people making raisins at home and didn’t understand why they put effort in something which is readily available. After preparing it once, I think I would be doing it again and again. You can use the same recipe for green and red grapes. I prepared both. Prepare it during the season so you get the fresh and cheap grapes. Make sure to buy good quality of grapes and they should be sweet. So next time you come across fresh grapes, try making raisins.
Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 5 minutes
Drying time: 2 days
Ingredients: Green or red grapes
Procedure:
1. First, separate grapes from stem, clean and wash it properly. Only use the best fresh grapes.
2. Heat pot of water. When water is hot, lower the heat to medium. .Add grapes and cook until they start floating on the top. It will take 3-4 mins, slightly more or less. I noticed red grapes had more crackes on the skin than green grapes. Green grapes turned slightly brown. Turn off the heat immediately. Do not over cook.
3. Drain the grapes in strainer and let it cool down slightly so they are easy to handle.
4. You need to dry them under direct sunlight. In cotton cloth or tray, spread the grapes in one layer. Keep them separate from each other or they will stick while drying. Dry them until they don’t have moisture but still slightly soft. Try tasting, you will know if they are dried. You can move them with hands while they are drying so it dries from all sides. Mine took 2 days of direct sunlight on hot summer days (in Canada). It may just need one day of sun drying if you live in very hot weather. If grapes are not dried properly then they can get spoiled.
5. Store them in clean glass jar at room temperature. My favourite way to use them is in my breakfast oatmeal, oatmeal premix, chivda (trail mix), etc.
Raisins has so many health benefits but they are high in calories. One should not eat more than 1/4 cup in a day. Always check the weather before starting this process as you will need 2 full days of direct sunlight to dry the raisins, unless you live in hot weather where they can dry in 1 day.
Please do leave a comment or let me know if you have any questions.
Thank you for visiting my blog. Until next time!
You can follow me on social media using any of the link below.
Facebook Bhavna’s Food Journey
YouTube Bhavna’s Food Journey
Twitter @BhavnasFoodJrny
Pinterest Bhavna’s Food Journey
Instagram Bhavna’s Food Journey
The Best Home-made Raisins
Ingredients: Green or red grapes
Procedure:
1. First, separate grapes from stem, clean and wash it properly. Only use the best fresh grapes.
2. Heat pot of water. When water is hot, lower the heat to medium. .Add grapes and cook until they start floating on the top. It will take 3-4 mins, slightly more or less. I noticed red grapes had more crackes on the skin than green grapes. Green grapes turned slightly brown. Turn off the heat immediately. Do not over cook.
3. Drain the grapes in strainer and let it cool down slightly so they are easy to handle.
4. You need to dry them under direct sunlight. In cotton cloth or tray, spread the grapes in one layer. Keep them separate from each other or they will stick while drying. Dry them until they don’t have moisture but still slightly soft. Try tasting, you will know if they are dried. You can move them with hands while they are drying so it dries from all sides. Mine took 2 days of direct sunlight on hot summer days (in Canada). It may just need one day of sun drying if you live in very hot weather. If grapes are not dried properly then they can get spoiled.
5. Store them in clean glass jar at room temperature. My favourite way to use them is in my breakfast oatmeal, oatmeal premix, chivda (trail mix), etc.
Raisins has so many health benefits but they are high in calories. One should not eat more than 1/4 cup in a day. Always check the weather before starting this process as you will need 2 full days of direct sunlight to dry the raisins, unless you live in hot weather where they can dry in 1 day.
Bhavna's Food Journey 