" Chatpata nimbu ka achar "(lemon pickle)

Come October and Joshimath is full of Citrus beauties... I mean, the beautiful trees laden with varities of Lime. The lush greens of these trees fascinate me as much as the juicy fruits hanging like ornamental bulbs in those trees. Last Sunday, while roaming around in search of seeds of Pink Morning Glories I came across a tree with particularly cute lemons on it. While I started clicking the pics, my husband informed that the tree belongs to a friend. I jumped with joy as we entered the premises and I got hold of one of the lemons. The friend was called and dragged out of his lazy Sunday afternoon nap to enquire about his kitchen garden and to help in exploring the garden of his neighbour as well. After the exploration, I grabbed two big lemons which I brought home with an equally big smile :).

After clicking these lemons from all angles I started thinking about what will be best thing to do with these lemons, they were big and I can’t eat them raw for sure. So I decided to put these to some good use by making Lemon Pickles. I called my mom and asked her about the simplest recipe she can tell me. There are many recipes for Lemon Pickles but mine is as under:

Ingredients

Curd – 100 gm

Lemons – 2 nos

Salt – 5 tbsp

Sugar – 2 tbsp

Garam Masala – 1 tsp

Red chilli powder - as per taste

Method

1. Mix the curd in a bowl and dip the lemons in it. Cover the bowl with cling wrap and let the lemon stay in curd for 4 to5 days till its cover becomes tender and turns into pale yellow colour.

2. Cut the lemons in to pieces of 2 inch width and ¾ inch thickness.

3. Put the lemon pieces in a glass jar and sprinkle salt and put it in sunlight for 3 days. Shake the jar once daily to mix the salt.

4. Add sugar on 4th day and again put the jar in sunlight for 3 more days. Shake the jar once daily.

5. The pickle can be put for few more days in sun till you get the desired taste & texture.

This yummy pickle is ready to eat with your hot Parathas or Rice.


 

Enjoy!