SWEET AND SOUR LIME PICKLE / NIMBU KA KHATTA MEETHA ACHAAR

Here is one more pickle recipe.. sweet and sour lime pickle. I matured the lemons for 2 weeks in the sunlight and then tossed them in the spices. This way it is ready to eat and you can refrigerate it after cooling. The lemons I used were tiny and tender. If they are bigger you may have to keep them a little longer in the sunlight for maturing. Just check it out yourself.

Ingredients:

Lemons ..... 6 (or as needed)

Saunf / fennel seeds ... 1 tsp

Cumin seeds .............. 1 tsp

Mustard seeds ........... 1 tsp

Kalonji / onion seeds ... 1/2 tsp

Methi / fenugreek seeds .. 1/2 tsp

Black pepper corns ...... 1/2 tsp (8-10)

Dry red chillies ........... 2-3

Lemon juice ............. 1/2 cup

Turmeric powder ..... 1/4 tsp

Crushed jaggery ....... 1 tbsp (or sugar)

Vinegar .................. 1-2 tbsps

Salt ........... to taste

Oil ....... 2 - 3 tbsps 

Method:

1. Wash the lemons well and wipe them with a kitchen cloth.

2. Cut them into quarters or  desired size pieces. 

3. Add salt and put them in a jar. Mix the lemon juice.

4. Tie a muslin cloth and place the jar in the sunlight for 2-3 weeks until the lemons are matured.

5. Now dry roast lightly all the spices mentioned in the list and grind them coarsely.

6. Heat oil in a pan. Reduce the heat and add the jaggery and vinegar.

7. Stir until jaggery melts. Tip in the spice powder. 

8. Now remove the lemons with a wooden spoon and toss them in the pan lightly.

9. If needed add a little water left in the jar to get the required consistency.

10. Cool the pickle and store it in a clean sterilized jar.

Note:You can refrigerate it. I do that because the weather keeps changing and the pickle can get spoilt  easily. You can adjust the chilli level as per your preference. Jaggery can be substituted with sugar but I personally like jaggery better. The pickle spice mix can be made in large quantity and stored too. You can use it to make achari recipes like achari bhindi, paneer, gosht etc etc...

Posted in: Indian Cook