Spicy Lemon Pickle

 

Spicy Lemon Pickle is a traditional Indian condiment made with fresh lemon, salt, red chili powder, and gingelly oil. 

Pickling is the oldest food preservation method used for several food items like lemon, mango, cucumber, meat, etc. Generally, pickling is done to preserve the ingredients for a long time so that it can be used even after a season. In India, summertime is the perfect season for pickling. Most of the houses will be filled with fresh mangoes and lemons. The prepared pickles are stored and consumed during the winter season. 

The raw ingredients are immersed in an acetic acid until it changes in texture and taste or until it is no longer raw. The pickles can be prepared either fermented or unfermented method. The fermented pickles are further classified into two ways: sour fermented pickles and sweet fermented pickles. The sour fermented are made by immersing the raw vegetables in a dilute brine (i.e 2-5% salt). In this method, the bacteria grow naturally in 1-2 weeks to produce lactic acid and helps to prevent the growth of food poisoning bacteria and other spoilage microorganisms. And in a sweet fermented pickle, acetic acid, sugar, and salt are used for preservation. Likewise, the unfermented pickles are produced by two methods: Salt - stock pickle and vinegared pickle. In a salt-stock pickle, concentrated brine is used and the preservation is done due to salt and not by fermentation. And in vinegared pickles, the vegetables are immersed in acetic acid/vinegar, salt and sugar. The pasteurization is done by heat in the unfermented pickles method. 

Home pickling is always the best because sometimes, the store-bought pickles taste too salty or the vinegar taste dominates the pickle which eventually spoils our taste bud. The pickling process is quite easy and interesting. Pickle is one of the best condiments for most Indian dishes. It can be served with roti and rice varieties. Personally, I love pickles with curd rice. 

Pickles always reminds me of my mother. She is an expert in pickle making and every summer, she prepares jars of pickles like mango pickle, dried lemon pickle, grated mango pickle, cut mango pickle, sweet mango pickle, spicy lemon pickle, etc and distributes to our relatives. For my today's pickling recipe, I chose my mother's "Spicy lemon pickle". Prepared this spicy and tangy pickle under her guidance over the phone and it was a great learning for me. The pickle came out well and it exactly tasted like my mother's pickle. Though it takes a week time to consume, it is worth the wait :) 

In this recipe, lemons are washed and dried using a kitchen towel. Moisture is the biggest enemy when it comes to pickling. So, always make sure to dry the vegetables and jar. The jar should be sterilized and dried. The washed and dried lemons are cut into pieces and salted along with turmeric powder. Then, the salted lemons are fermented for a couple of days. The fermented lemons are mixed with red chili powder to give s spicy taste and then added to the oil. In this method, pasteurization is done by heat. The oil is heated up and seasoned with mustard seeds, asafoetida and then, the chili powder coated lemons are added to it. Generally, the pickles are removed from the flame, cooled, and transferred to a jar but if it is to be consumed immediately, then the cooking process should be extended for 5-7 minutes until the peel of the lemon gets soft. I did not cook the lemon in this recipe so removed the pickles immediately from the flame and transferred it to the same jar in which salted lemon was fermented. 

Ingredients used in this recipe:

Fruit: The fruit used in this pickle is lemon. The quality of lemon is very important when picking for pickle. Always pick blemish-free and fresh lemon. Cut the lemon into small pieces and also, reserve the juice while cutting the lemons. Add the reserved lemon juice along with the lemon pieces. 

Salt: Traditionally coarse salt is used in pickling. If not available, table salt can be used but be cautious while adding salt because too much salt, makes the pickle too salty. 

Turmeric powder: The turmeric adds an earthy richness and gives a lovely color to the pickle. And also, turmeric is good for our health. 

Oil: Gingelly oil which is also known as sesame oil or Til oil is best for this pickle. This oil is rich in vitamins and also, controls the heat from the spices. The nutty flavor goes well with the pickle. 

Asafoetida: Asafoetida is an Indian spice. Since it has a strong and pungent flavor, only a pinch of it is used. This spice is very good for digestion and used in most Indian curries. 

Mustard seeds: This is one of the important ingredients in many regional foods. The mustard seeds should be added to hot oil and it should splutter before adding the next ingredients. 

Red chili powder: Red chili powder is added to give a spicy taste. Adjust the quantity of chili powder according to taste bud. I have used Kashmiri red chili powder in this recipe to get a lovely color. 

Fenugreek seeds: Slightly dry roast the fenugreek seeds and ground them to a fine powder. The fenugreek powder has a strong bitter taste, so add just a pinch of it. Fenugreek seed is supposed to have a cooling effect on the body. Since this pickle contains chili powder, fenugreek powder is added to balance the heat from the spices.

Ingredients: 

4 Big Lemons 

3/4 Cup Coarse Salt 

1 Tsp Tumeric powder 

1 Cup Gingelly Oil 

2 Tsp Mustard seeds 

A pinch of Aesofatida / Hing powder 

1 Tbsp Red chili powder (Adjust according to taste bud) 

1 Tsp Fenugreek seeds 

Method: 

Sterilize the glass jar, wipe it dry, and keep it aside. 

Wash the lemons, dry them using a kitchen towel. 

  

Cut the lemons into small pieces and transfer them to a bowl. 

  

Add coarse salt and turmeric powder. Mix well.

 

Transfer it to a jar and let it rest for one or two days. Shake the jar at least once a day so that the pickle blends well and gets a uniform texture. 

  

After a couple of days, transfer the lemon pieces to a bowl and add red chili powder. Mix well. 

  

Heat gingelly oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. Once it starts spluttering, add aesofatida and the lemon pieces.  

  

  

Mix well and immediately remove from the flame. If you want to consume the pickle the same day, then cook it for 5 minutes so that the lemon gets cooked fast.

  

Cool the lemon mixture and transfer it to the jar. Rest it for a week by shaking the jar at least once a day. 

  

After a week, the lemon gets soften and looks like the one in the below picture. 

Serving Options: 

Serve with Curd rice, Sambar rice, and Rasam rice.  

Variations: 

Variations can be made by substituting with Wild lemon, Mango, and Lime. In the North and East part of India, mustard oil is used in pickles to retain body heat as they have a colder climate. Nowadays, as a trend and dietary reason, olive oil is used but there will be a huge difference in the flavor. Jaggery can also be added to the lemon pickle to balance the citrus flavor. Ginger can also be included which is good for digestion. 

The same recipe can be prepared without adding oil and red chili powder. If you want to prepare in that way, just make a cross-cut on top of the lemon and add turmeric powder along with coarse salt. Leave it for a week and use it. The same can also be sun-dried. This pickle is perfect for digestion and especially, we include this pickle in our diet when are sick. 

The main advantage of pickling is to prevent spoilage and it extends the shelf life. Pickles are the best way to use leftover vegetables. The same recipe can be prepared using just lemon peel instead of throwing it away and also, with vegetable peels, orange peels, etc. This controls food wastage. 

Allergen: 

Since Mustard is one of the priority allergens, people who have mustard allergy should not consume this pickle. If not, while preparing this pickle, just skip the mustard and follow the procedure.  

Health benefits:

Indian pickles have antioxidants properties. Pickles boost immunity and improve the process of digestion. It is also rich in vitamins and minerals. People who have high blood pressure should control the intake of pickles since the salt content is high. 

Reflection and Sensory Evaluation: 

The Spicy Lemon pickle took around 7 to 8 days to get soften. Usually, it takes around 5 days and it depends on the thickness of the lemon peel. Since the lemon which I have used had a thick peel, it took around a week. After adding salt, the lemon started leaving juices which helped to soften them. The texture of the lemon before seasoning was hard. After seasoning, the lemons were immersed in the oil. Approx. around the 6th day, noticed the change in texture and taste. The final product of the pickle tasted salty, spicy with a sour taste. The texture of the pickle was soft enough that it got cut by the fork. The pulp of the lemons blended well with the oil and salt and gave a thick saucy texture. The pickle looked succulent and tasted delicious with rice. Shaking the bottle helped to get the uniform texture. The pickling process changed the taste, color, and texture over the period of days. 

Critical points to follow while making and using pickle:

Make sure the jar is sterilized well and no moisture in it. 

The vegetable or fruit should be washed and dried well before adding to the jar. 

Do not touch the pickle, it may spoil very soon. 

Always use a clean and dry spoon while taking out the spoon. 

Make sure that the pickle has enough oil in the jar. 

References 

Coue, P. (2020). Whole Fruit Cooking: Indian Lemon/Lime Pickles from Leftover Rinds - The Cook's Cook. The Cook's Cook. Retrieved 28 November 2020, from https://thecookscook.com/columns/indian-lemon-lime-pickles/.

Avey, T. (2020). History in a Jar: Story of Pickles | The History Kitchen | PBS Food. PBS Food. Retrieved 28 November 2020, from https://www.pbs.org/food/the-history-kitchen/history-pickles/.

Blogs, WebMD. "What Pickles Can Do For Your Health". Webmd, 2020, https://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/health-benefits-pickles#1.

Sudhanshu S. Behera, Aly Farag El Sheikha, Riadh Hammami, Awanish Kumar, Traditionally fermented pickles: How the microbial diversity associated with their nutritional and health benefits? Journal of Functional Foods, Volume 70,2020,103971, ISSN 1756 4646, https ://doi.org/10.1016/j.jff.2020.103971 (http://www.sciencedirect. com/science/article/pii/S175646462030195X) 

Masala, V. (2020). Health Benefits of Indian Pickles (Achar) in your regular diet. vasant masala. Retrieved 28 November 2020, from https://www.vasantmasala.com/blog/health-benefits-of-indian-pickles-achar-in-your-regular-diet/.

Mustard. [electronic resource] : a priority food allergen in Canada : a systematic review ([desLibris e-book]). (2011). Health Canada.

Uddinahittu / Udupi Recipes

  
Uddinahittu is one of the traditional Udupi recipe which is prepared using urad dal flour and curd. As we all know that urad dal is one of the healthiest and popular ingredient in South India, including it in our regular diet gives a lot of health benefits. Urad dal is rich in protein, fat and carbohydrates. Importantly, it is beneficial for women as it contains iron, calcium and folic acid. Apart from all these, urad dal helps in digestion because of their fibre content, boost immunity and also helps in maintaining bone health.

Idly, Dosa and Vada are the popular recipes which flashes on my mind when it comes to Urad dal. Apart from these recipes, I use urad dal in chutneys and as seasoning in my kitchen. And in today’s recipe, I have used urad dal in a different way which I learnt recently for the shhh secretly cooking challenge group as our theme of the month was Udupi cuisine. When I got to know that Udupi cuisine is for this month challenge, I thought of trying Udupi sambhar which was on my list for so long. But while doing some research on Udupi cuisine, this recipe “Uddinahittu” sounded interesting and after reading about this dish, I was so curious to try as I have never used raw urad dal in my recipes.

Though few websites have mentioned about the option of using roasted urad dal flour, I tried this dish using raw flour as its a traditional method. To be honest, I was so confused about the taste but to my surprise, the dish tasted delicious and the taste of raw flour was not over powering. The highlight of the recipe is the addition of coconut oil. I can say that this addition elavated the flavour. The original recipe called for curry leaves but I did not use it since it is not available near my place. But I am sure that the addition of curry leaves roasted in coconut oil gives a lovely aroma. Anyways, I am planning to go to an Indian store this weekend so that I can try this dish once again by using curry leaves :)

Actually I have to thank shh secretly cooking challenge group and Jayashree who suggested this theme for this month and also, my partner Renu Agarwal Dongre who gave me a lovely ingredients to try this recipe. Jayashree has a wonderful blog in the name of Evergreen dishes. Don't miss her blog to check out for many delicious recipes.  By now, I am sure you would have guessed at least one of the secret ingredients.. Yes ! It’s coconut oil and hing. And yeah, don’t forget to check out my partner Renu's page "cookwithrenu.com " who prepared a delicious Mangalore buns using the secret ingredients given by me. And also, her page has loads of yummilicious recipes, so don't miss it!

In this Uddinahittu recipe, the raw urad dal flour is grounded into a fine powder and then mixed with a curd is finally seasoned with mustard, ginger and green chillies. The addition of coconut oil for the seasoning gives an aromatic flavour to the dish. This dish goes perfect with hot steamed rice and also can be served with any pulao as it tasted similar to raita. 

Here comes the recipe for Uddinahittu...

Ingredients :

3 Tbsp Urad dal Flour
1 Cup Curd
Salt to taste
2 Tsp Coconut Oil

A pinch of Hing powder
1 Tsp Mustard seeds
1 Tbsp Ginger, finely chopped
1 - 2Green chillies, finely chopped ( add chillies according to taste bud )
Coriander leaves, chopped or Fresh curry leaves

Method :

Mix urad dal flour and curd in a bowl without any lump.

If you don’t have urad dal flour, just grind the urad dal and sieve it to get a fine powder.

Heat coconut oil in a small pan and add mustard seeds.

Once it starts spluttering, add hing powder followed by ginger, green chillies and curry leaves ( I did not add curry leaves in this recipe ).

Now add the seasoning to the urad dal - curd mixture along with the required quantity of salt.

Mix well and add the chopped coriander leaves.

Serving Options :

Serve with hot steamed rice.

Wahan Mosdeng / Pork Chutney / Pork Bharta / Tripura Cuisine

Wahan Mosdeng is a popular Tripura cuisine in which pork is the key ingredient and apart from that, only minimal ingredients required to prepare this delicious salad. Wahan is nothing but pork and interestingly, this recipe is prepared without using a drop of oil. Yes! you read it right... this is zero oil recipe. This Wahan Mosdeng is also called as Pork Bharta and Pork chutney. Traditionally this recipe is prepared using pork but people who do not eat pork, substitute it with chicken.  The fresh ginger and roasted chilli gave a perfect flavour to the dish and personally, I loved it with rice.

Prepared this recipe for a blogger event "shhh cooking secretly challenge" which is happening among food bloggers every month. For this month, I got a first time chance to get paired with a lovely blogger Narmadha who blogs at namscorner.com. Don't forget to check out her page to view loads of  delicious recipes. She gave me coriander leaves and chilli as my secret ingredients which helped me to create this authentic Tripura recipe. Likewise, check out her page to know the secret ingredients given by me. She made an interesting, simple yet delicious recipe out of it.

Ingredients :

250 gms Pork, Cut into pieces

1 Big Onion, thinly sliced 

5-6 Green chillies ( Adjust according to taste bud ) 

1 1/2 Tbsp Ginger, finely chopped 

1/4 Cup Coriander leaves, finely chopped 

Salt to taste

Method :

Wash the pork pieces and pressure cook it for 3 whistles by adding little water. 

Open the lid and cook it for another 2 minutes or until the water gets absorbed. This helps to keep the flavour in pork. 

Once done, cut in small pieces and keep aside. 

Dry roast the green chillies and grind it without adding water. Keep aside. 

Take the chopped pork pieces in a bowl and add the ground chilli followed by thinly sliced onion, ginger, coriander leaves and salt. 

Mix well and serve. 

Serving Options :

Serve with Rice or Roti.

Kumbakonam Kadapa

I was wondering that how did I miss posting this famous and traditional dish "Kumbakonam Kadapa" on my page and that too being it as my native place delicacy. Kadapa is a delicious dish prepared using Moong dal, coconut and spices which pairs perfectly with Idly or Dosa. I must say that if you are visiting the temple city of Tamilnadu ( yeah! Kumbakonam is popularly known as Temple city of Tamilnadu ), this kadapa is a must try dish. Already the imagination of having hot, soft and fluffy idlis with this tasty kadapa is making me drool. Thanks to Shhh Secretly Challenge group for hosting Tamilnadu cuisine theme for this month challenge and Mayuri ji for giving me the lovely two ingredients , Moong dal and Bay leaf as my secret ingredients.

Shh secretly challenge is an interesting blogger event which is happening among few food bloggers. In this event, the bloggers are paired every month with the particular theme and the paired bloggers have to share their secret ingredients among each other. Using those ingredients, the dish has to be prepared and the secret ingredients are guessed by our co-bloggers. Interesting right!

So, if you are keen to know the secret ingredients given by me to my partner Mayuri ji, click HERE. She prepared a delicious and traditional sweet "Paal Kozhkattai" out of it. And also, her page is loaded with lots and lots of drool worthy recipes. So, don't miss to check out her page.

Here comes the recipe of the delicious Kumbakonam Kadapa....

Ingredients :

1 Tbsp Oil 
1 Bay leaf 
2 Cloves 
A small of Cinnamon 
1 Onion, finely chopped 
2 Green chillies, sliced 
3 Potatoes, boiled and mashed 
1/2 Cup Moong dal, cooked and mashed 
Less than 1/4 Tsp Turmeric powder 
Salt to taste 
Coriander leaves for garnishing 

To Grind :

1/4 Cup Coconut, grated 
2 Garlic pods, peeled 
3 Tbsp Roasted gram 
2 Green chillies 

Method :

Grind all the ingredients given in "To Grind" into a fine paste and keep aside.

Heat oil in a pan and add bay leaf followed by cloves and cinnamon.

Add the chopped onion followed by green chillies and sauce until the onion turns translucent.

Now add the cooked and mashed dal.

Mix well and cook it for a minute.

Add the ground paste followed by turmeric powder and the required quantity of salt.

Let it cook for 5 minutes and add water if kadapa is too thick.

Now add the potatoes to the kadapa and cook it for another couple of minutes.

Garnish with coriander leaves and remove from the flame.

Serve hot.

Serving Options :

Serve with Idly or Dosa.

Punjabi Chana Dal Masala

Chana dal masala is one of the delicious, comforting and easy to prepare dish which pairs perfectly with Roti or Jeera Rice. And no doubt that this curry is a nutritious and healthy dish as it is packed with proteins. The chana dal / Bengal gram is soaked and pressure cooked before adding to the masala. Though soaking of chana dal is not required in this recipe, I have done it to speed up the cooking process. I have included ginger and garlic paste in this recipe which can also be replaced with finely chopped ginger and garlic.

Sending this recipe to a lovely event Shhh Secretly cooking challenge which is happening among a group of food bloggers. For this June month, I was paired with a blogger Archana Gunjikar Potdar who blogs at The Mad Scientist's Kitchen. Her page is filled with loads of yummy recipes and yeah, if you are looking for simple and vegetarian diet then her page is the must visit one. Personally, I loved all the recipes which she has posted on her page. And coming to the challenge, she gave me Tomato and garlic as my secret ingredients for this month challenge and using those, prepared this flavourful punjabi dal masala recipe. Likewise, she prepared a delicious punjabi recipe Lauki ke Kofta using the secret ingredients given by me.

Here comes the detailed recipe for Punjabi Chana dal masala recipe...

Ingredients :

1/2 Cup Chana dal / Bengal Gram 
A pinch of Turmeric 
2 Tbsp Oil for preparing masala 
2 Tsp Oil or ghee for Tadka / Seasoning 
1/2 Tsp Cumin seeds 
2 Dry red chillies 
1 Tsp Ginger garlic paste 
1 Green chilli, sliced 
1 Onion, finely chopped 
2 Medium sized Tomatoes, finely chopped 
1 Tsp Red chilli powder 
1 Tsp Coriander powder 
1/2 Tsp Cumin powder 
1/2 Tsp Garam masala powder 
A pinch of turmeric powder
Finely chopped Coriander leaves
Salt to taste  

Method :

Soak chana dal for 1 hour. Though this process is not necessary, it helps to speed up the cooking process.

Pressure cook the soaked chana dal for 4 - 5 whistles or until soft by addling a pinch of turmeric powder and 1 1/2 cups of water.

Once done, remove from the flame and wait till the pressure gets released. Slightly mash the cooked chana dal and keep aside.

Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan and add green chillies followed by ginger garlic paste.

Add the finely chopped onion and sauté until it turns translucent.

Now add the chopped tomatoes and cook until it turns soft and mushy.

Add all the masala powders along with the required quantity of salt and saute for a minute.

Add the cooked dal to the masala and mix well.

Let it boil for another 5 minutes and add the finely chopped coriander leaves.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a small pan and add cumin seeds followed by dry red chillies.

Fry and add it to the prepared chana dal masala.

Remove from the flame and serve hot.

Serving Options :

Serve with steamed Rice, Jeera Rice or Roti.

Ada Hengu Khechudi / Odia Cuisine / Ginger & Asafoetida Flavoured Rice

Ada Hengu Khechudi is a simple yet flavourful rice recipe prepared using ginger and asafoetida. Khechudi is nothing but Khichdi and this is served as prasadam / prasad in a famous temple in orissa called Puri Jaganathan. It is also commonly known as puri khichidi and Lord Jagananath's maha prasad. The preparation of this khechudi is quite easy with a minimal ingredients yet tastes flavourful. Addition of grated coconut is optional in this recipe. This flavourful rice pairs perfectly with Dalma.

Prepared this fragrant and flavourful rice for an interesting event Shhh secretly cooking challenge which is happening among group of food bloggers. For this month, I was paired with a very talented and friendly blogger Jayashree Trao who blogs at evergreendishes.com. Odia cuisine was our theme of the month and I was given ginger and salt as my secret ingredients. Using those ingredients, prepared this flavourful one pot rice recipe which turned into a huge hit among my family members.

Click HERE to check out a delicious Odia recipe prepared Jayashree using the secret ingredients given me.

Recipe Source : Here 

Ingredients :

2 Tbsp Ghee / Oil 
2 Bay leaves 
2 Tbsp Grated Ginger 
1 Tsp Asafoetida / Hing powder 
2 Green chillies, sliced 
1 Cup Rice 
2 - 3 Tbsp Moong dal 
3 Cups Water 
Salt to taste 
4 Tbsp Grated Coconut ( Optional ) 

Method :

Heat oil or ghee in a pan and add bay leaves followed by green chillies, asafoetida and grated ginger.

Saute and add the measured water along with the required quantity of salt.

Now add rice and moong dal to the boiling water.

Cover and cook on a low flame until the rice is cooked.

Add grated coconut to the cooked rice along with a tablespoon of ghee.  ( optional )

Serve hot.

Serving Options :

Serve with Dalma or any curry. 

Aloo Kangmet / Manipuri Cuisine

Aloo Kangmet is one of the staple food of Manipur which is prepared using potato, dry red chilli and salt. The mashed potato is tossed with the coarsely ground red chillies and seasoned with salt. Traditionally mustard oil is used in most of their dishes. Though regular oil can be used, addition of mustard oil gives an extra flavour to the dish. This recipe is quite easy to prepare as it has a very minimal ingredients. This simple yet tasty aloo kangmet pairs perfectly with Roti or Rice.

Prepared this delicious side dish for a blogger event "SShhh Cooking Secretly" which is happening every month among few fellow bloggers. You must be familiar about the event, if you are following my page or else, just click HERE to get more information about the event and the recipes which I have prepared so far for the event.

 For January month, I was paired with a wonderful blogger Poonam Bachhav who blogs at https://poonambachhav.blogspot.com. Her page is loaded with more delicious and mouthwatering recipes so don't miss to check out her page. She gave me mustard oil and red chilli as my secret ingredients and using those, prepared this traditional dish named Aloo kangmet. Likewise, I gave her Ginger and peas as a secret ingredients. And using those, she prepared Manipuri Kichadi and Mangal Ooti which looks super yummy and inviting. Do visit her page and try it out.

Ingredients :

3 Big Potatoes, boiled 
4 - 5 Dry red chillies 
1 Tbsp Mustard Oil 
Salt to taste 
Coriander leaves for garnishing 

Method :

Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan and add dry red chillies.

Roast and remove from the flame.

Grind it coarsely in a blender and keep aside.

Meanwhile, mash the boiled potatoes and keep aside.

Now heat the remaining oil in a same pan and add the ground chillies followed by mashed potato and the required quantity of salt.

Mix well and garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve hot.

Serving Options :

Serve hot with Roti or Rice.