Lemony flavors are all over this post. It’s a spicy, tangy pickle day. Pickle and pickle making is quite lengthy process and on top of that lemon takes some time to soften. In tradition lemon pickle recipe, lemon pieces are kept in salt for a month or fortnight. This step helps the skin to soften. But instant lemon pickle seems to be a boon. In this recipe the lemon skin is softened through pressure cooking process. This instant version of pickle is time and energy saving one.
When you are on to making instant lemon pickle, few things helps you get the best output. Like, always choose juicy yellow lemons for the recipe. Because the skin is all matured and doesn’t taste too much pungent. And don’t even try pressure cooking lemons after cutting. This step would make the pickle a mess.
Next, you need to squeeze in more lemon over the pickle so that you get more liquid in it. Otherwise, as we are mixing up all spice powders with cooked lemon here, the pickle would be more or less dry. And the last caution of word is use enough oil for tempering. Because oil tends to act as preservative to pickle. And your instant lemon pickle lasts few more days.
Watch the video:
Instant Lemon Pickle | Nimbu ka Achar Recipe
Ingredients
- Lemons - 10 nos.
- Salt- 1.5 tbsp
- Mustard seeds powder- 1 tbsp
- Fenugreek seeds powder- 1/2 tsp
- Red chilly powder- 3 tbsp
- Lemon juice- 4 tsp
To temper
- Oil- 2 tbsp
- Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
- Hing- 1/2 tsp
Instructions
Preparation
- Wash and wipe dry the lemons before pickling. Ensure there is no moisture.
Method
- Add the whole lemons in to pressure cooker along with 2 cups of water. Pressure cook it for 1 whistle and let the pressure subside.
- Next remove the lid and take out all the cooked lemons. Chop each of them in to quarter and remove all the seeds
- Take the lemon pieces in a wide bowl. Add roasted mustard powder and roasted fenugreek powder.
- Next add salt and red chilly powder too. Squeeze in a lemon over it.
- Next mix everything well gently and heat a pan adding oil, mustard seeds and hing.
- Let it splutter. Let the tempering cool down to room temperature, then pour it over the pickle. Mix well.
- Instant lemon pickle is ready. Let it rest for few days so that all spices are absorbed by lemon.
Notes
- Choose the lemons that are big, yellow and blemish free for the pickle.
- Do not overcook the lemons. They shouldn't be mushy.
- Adjust red chilly powder and salt as per your taste buds.
- The oil tempering aids as preservative to the pickle. So it's mandatory to temper the pickle.
