Lemon Pickle | Nimmakaya Uragaya | Nimboo Ka Achar

Lemon Pickle or Elumichai Oorugai - One of the most popular of Indian pickles and my personal favorite.  It is one of the most easiest pickles to prepare at home, but requires patience and time.  There are many variations in preparing this pickle depending on which part of India you are from -- lemon stuffed with salt and left for a week and then seasoned with spices, no-oil pickle, instant pickle, simple and sweet pickle, lemon pickle with ginger and garlic and so on and on.

Here is my version.  We love to have it with curd rice and upma.

Home-made pickles are always the best.. so go on and try this recipe.  If handled properly, this stays good for at least a year.

Ingredients:

• Lemon - 8
• Salt - 6 tsp
• Chilli powder - 6 tsp
• Methi/fenugreek powder - 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Asafoetida/hing - 1/2 tsp
• Oil - 1/4 cup (sesame oil)

How To Prepare Lemon Pickle:

• Wash and wipe the lemons dry and cut each into 4 pieces.  Add the salt and turmeric to these pieces and mix well.
• Put this mixture in a clean bottle (either glass or ceramic) and leave it for a minimum of 4 days.  Mix it well once every day with a dry spoon and keep it closed.
• On the 5th day, add chilli powder and methi powder to the mixture and mix well.
• Heat oil in a kadai and add mustard seeds.  Once they start to splutter, add asafoetida and switch off.  Let the oil cool down completely.  Then add it to the lemon mixture and mix all well with a clean, dry spoon.
• Let this mixture marinate for another 10 days before you can start using it.
• Lemon pickle is ready.  Enjoy it with curd rice or upma.