Lemon pickle recipe north Indian style. No oil recipe of sweet and sour Indian lemon pickle (Nimbu ka khatta Mitha Achar) which can be preserved for years.
I simply love pickles! Pickles can lift the taste of simplest of the meals. I love how a pickle can add another layer of flavor and taste even to a simple meal of every day Dal chawal sabzi meal. Some of the popular pickle/achar combinations are very very simple but they taste super yummy.
Khichadi is incomplete without an accompaniment of Papad and achar, Pulao without a side of dahi and achar does not sound half as good, and Paratha and achar are simply made for each other combination.
There is a huge variety of pickles and achar that are made in India. Instant pickles, Cooked Pickles, Sundried ones. In short we Indians can pickle just about anything. Though I love pickles, there are only few which we make at home.
Few popular ones are Punjabi Aam ka achar, Stuffed Red Chilli Pickle, Hari Mirchi ka Achar. In winters Gajar Gobhi ka Achar, Nimbu Hari mirch ka Achar. This Nimbu ka khatta mitha achar which I am making today.
Nimbu ka khatta Mitha Achar
Sweet and sour lemon pickle or Nimbu ka khatta mitha Achar as it is popularly known, is a balance of sweet and sour taste. This is a no oil lemon pickle. Most of the Indian pickles act as digestive too, so serving them along with food helps to improve digestion of the food being consumed. Ajwain/caraway seeds are well known for the digestive properties, these are added in good quantity as well as black salt or kala namak is good for digestion.
If stored well the sweet and sour lemon pickle lasts for years. In fact older the lemon pickle better it is considered better for digestion. I remember till a few years ago most Indian kitchens used to have a jar of old lemon pickle which was used as a cure for indigestion.
Tips for Making Best Lemon Pickle
- When making lemon pickle make sure to use a clean and dry Airtight container to store them.
- For storing any pickle wash the jar first and either sun dry or dry in the oven to remove any moisture.
- Keeping the pickle in for the few days in sunlight is important.
- Shake the pickle jar every day to prevent fungus formation.
If you tried this recipe please let me know how it came out! You can share a picture on Instagram, facebook or twitter with the hashtag #MyTastyCurry. In case you plan to cook it later you can pin it on pinterest.
Ingredients
- 8 lemon
- 1 Tbsp Black Salt
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 100 gram sugar
- ½ tablespoon Red chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala powder
- ½ teaspoon dry ginger powder
- ½ teaspoon caraway seeds ajwain
Instructions
- Wash the lemons and wipe them dry using a dry cloth.
- Grind all the dry ingredients together except lemons and sugar. Keep this masala aside.
- Cut each lemon into four parts. Remove the visible seeds if possible
- Now place the lemons into a dry steel plate/bowl.
- Mix lemon and masala nicely and keep these lemons out in the sun for 7 days. Fill this in a jar, close the lid tightly and Keep shaking the jar every day.
- After 7 days add the sugar to the pickle jar and keep it in the sun for 4-5 more days.
- Lemon pickle will be ready in total 15 days. Older is better.
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