Preserved lemon Pickle

Delicious tangy and spicy lemon pickle made with preserved lemons.

Ingredients:

Preserved lemons:

8 small lemons
2 tablespoons salt
Juice of 2 lemons

Spice mixture:

1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
8 red dried chillies
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sunflower oil
1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
10 black peppercorns

Method:

1. Wash the lemons and dry them.
2. Slit the lemons but not right to the bottom so that the lemon is in four quarters but bottom in intact.

3.Sprinkle some salt in the center of each lemon and place the lemons in a streriliesd jar.
4. Add any remaining salt to the jar and add the juice of two lemons.
5. Close the lid and leave the jar in a cool dry place.Once a day shake the jar to mix the lemons.
6. After 3-4 weeks the lemon skin will soften and change from the bright  yellow to a dull yellow this indicates lemons are ready for use.


Pickle spice:

7. Dry roast the fenugreek seeds, and mustard seeds for 2-3 minutes and transfer to a grinder.

8. Dry roast the red chilies for 2-3 minutes and transfer them to the grinder.
9. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt and grind this spice mixture to a fine powder.(Do not be tempted to add too much salt as lemons are already salty from being preserved salt.)

To make pickle:

10. Drain the preserved lemons and cut them into quarters.
11. On a tray place some kitchen paper and spread out the lemons to dry out for 1 day
12. The next day cut the lemons into bite sized pieces and place them into a bowl.
13. Add half the spice mixture and reserve the rest for use on another occasion.
14. Add the peppercorns to the lemons
15.Heat oil in a pan , when it is hot add 1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds and wait for them  to splutter.
16.Take the oil off the heat and wait for it to cool slightly.
17. Add the oil to the lemons and mix well.
18.Transfer the pickle to a sterilised jar and store in cool dry place for a day to allow spice flavours to infuse.
19. Pickle is ready to eat next day.

This recipe was adapted from Jayshrees blog Samayalarai. She made the pickle with limes, I have also changed the quantity of the spice mixture slightly and used sunflower oil instead of ginelly oil.

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Submitting to:
Lets cook pickle event by simply.food