Ingredients (Makes about 1.5 cup)
1. Lemon – 5 – 6
Salt – To taste
2. Gingelly oil / nallenna – 2 – 3 tbsp
Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
Dry red chilies – 2 – 3
Fenugreek seeds – 1/8 tsp
Ginger – 1/2 inch, thinly sliced
Garlic – 6 small cloves, sliced or halved if large
Green chilies – 1, slit (optional)
3. Turmeric powder – 1/8 tsp
Chilly powder (mild or medium spicy) – 2 tbsp
Fenugreek powder / uluva podi – 1/8 tsp
Asafetida / hing / kaya podi – 2 pinches
4. Sugar – 3 tbsp or to taste
5. Vinegar – 1/2 cup
6. Salt – To taste
7. Kaduku parippu – 1 tsp (optional)
Method
1. Steam the lemons for 8 – 10 minutes until they turn soft. Cool them completely. Cut into 8 pieces. Transfer into a glass jar or a bowl. Add enough salt. Mix well and set aside for 1 – 2 days or a minimum of 2 hours.
2. Heat 2 – 3 tbsp gingelly oil in a deep pan. Splutter mustard seeds and fry dry red chilies and fenugreek seeds. Add sliced ginger, garlic and green chilies. Fry until lightly golden. Bring down the heat to low. Add turmeric powder, chilly powder, fenugreek powder and hing. Saute for a minute. Next add sugar, vinegar and salt. Cook for a minute. Add lemon pieces and switch off. Set aside to cool. Add kaduku parippu, if using and mix well. Transfer to an airtight jar.
3. Heat 1 tbsp gingelly oil in a small pan. Cool completely. Pour the cooled oil on top of the pickle. You can have it after 2 – 3 days but it tastes best after a month. Keep refrigerated in order to increase its shelf-life. It tastes best with biriyani / pulao.
Recipe Courtesy – Dhe Ruchi
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