his delicious homemade kumquat marmalade is so tasty to add to many different dishes like oats, toast, or pancakes. Kumquat marmalade made not seem very Japanese, but the fruit kumquat is actually native to Asia and is known as ‘kinkan” in Japanese.
TI grew up in a prefecture that was very abundant and well-known for kinkan and other citrus fruits so I grew up with my mom making a lot of this marmalade. It tastes like a very country-style home marmalade, which I really love.
Marmalade is not a typical Japanese food but Kinkan (Kumquat) is the native citrus tree to Asia-Pacific region. The prefecture that I am from in Japan, Wakayama, is actually famous for citrus fruits like mandarins and kumquats. So my mom makes this marmalade a lot too, except she adds about 1 kg of sugar (!!!!) so hers is a lot sweeter but I prefer a bit more of a tangy flavour so I don’t add as much sugar. If you prefer a sweeter flavour then you can add more sugar but if you prefer a tangy flavour like me then you can just use the same amount of sugar as I did.
I decided to make this marmalade because I found a bag of kumquats at a local farmer’s market on the weekend. It made me think of how much I loved growing up eating this yummy marmalade in Japan so I really felt like making it. I love that it can be used for different dishes. You could eat the marmalade with a yummy scone or muffin or just eat it for breakfast with some toast like I do. I hope you enjoy it!
Kumquat Marmalade
Instructions
- Wash the kumquats and take the out the stem.
- Cut the kumquats in half then slice them thinly.
- Place them in a small sauce pan over high heat.
- Add the sugar and water and bring it to boil.
- Turn the heat down to medium once it has boiled and let it simmer for about 15 minutes or until it has thickened.
- Turn the heat off and pour the marmalade into a sterilized jar.
Aisha says
This turned out lovely, just the right amount of sweetness! Glad to find a recipe that doesn’t use an obscene amount of sugar!
Lynn says
This was my first venture with kumquats and they are so delicious. Just the right amount of sugar as many recipes are too sweet. I have just made my second batch! Thank you.
Shihoko | Chopstick Chronicles says
Thank you Lynn 😀
Terry McLaughlin says
WHAT IS THE CANNING TIME?
Japanese Food Addict says
The recipe does not say what to do with the seeds. Should I remove the seeds before boiling the fruit?
Shihoko | Chopstick Chronicles says
Thank you for your comment. Yes, you need to remove the seeds 😀
pablo says
delicious marmalade!!
Chopstick Chronicles says
thank you :3