Plum Cardamom Jam

Place the plums in a 6-quart stockpot. Stir in the water and the cardamom pods. Cook over medium heat and bring to a boil; then reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 hour. Remove from heat and allow the plums to completely cool.

Place a colander on top of a large deep bowl. Once the plums have cooled, pour them into the colander. Strain the plums by pressing them with your hands against the colander, letting the syrup go into the bowl below. Pick up the fruit slurry that remains in the colander by the handful and squeeze it so that any remaining syrup goes directly into the bowl with the rest of the syrup, retaining the pits and cardamom shells and then discarding them.

Put the plum syrup mixture back into the stockpot, stir in the sugar, and bring the mixture to a boil over medium-low heat. After it boils, turn the heat down to low and let it simmer for 3 hours, or until the mixture has thickened. Stir it every 20 to 30 minutes.

In the meantime, prepare the canning jars. Preheat oven to 200°F. Wash the jars with soap and water, dry them, and place them mouth side up, without lids, in the oven for 10 minutes. Then remove the jars from the oven. Sterilize the lids by putting them in a bowl and pouring boiling water over them. Let them sit in the hot water for a few minutes then remove them from the water and allow to dry.

Spoon the hot plum jam into the hot, sterilized jars leaving some room at the top of the jar. Then seal according to standard canning practices. Allow to cool to room temperature.

Recipe makes 2 1/2 pints.