Indian Lime Pickle

  • Pickles, Chutney, Relish & Sauces

Made over three weeks this authentic hot, sour and salty uncooked Indian pickle tickles and cleanses the palate, stimulates the appetite, aids digestion and adds colour to the table. It provides the fifth dimension to a curry or alternatively if you love hot spicy appetisers serve with pappadams and riata before an Indian meal. 

Preparation Time:
30 minutes plus 3 weeks standing over 2 stages
Cooking Time:
15 minutes
Quantity:
8 x 300 ml jars

PREPARATION

Made over 3 weeks this authentic Indian pickle is surprisingly easy to make.   

Week 1 

  • Lime are sliced, salted and matured in lime juice 

Week 2 

  • Limes coated  in aromatic  spice paste and matured for a further 2 weeks. 

Sterilise and dry sealable jars and lids for the final bottling.

INGREDIENTS

14
Ripe limes
250g
Preserving salt
60 ml
Lime juice
2 Tablespoons
Vegetable oil
5g
Fenugreek seeds
5g
Black mustard seeds
10g
Ground tumeric
5g
Asafoetida powder
75g
Chilli powder, hot
75g
Paprika powder
30g
White sugar

METHOD

Made according to the traditional Indian salted and no cook pickle method. Two maturing stages over 3 weeks, transforms limes into an authentic pungent sour, salty and hot and spicy accompaniment. Pickle is bottled immediately after the final maturation.

  1. Wash the limes to remove any  garden debris if home grown  or wax as part of commercial and dry thoroughly. Any additional water at this stage will affect the final consistency of the pickle. Cut limes into large chucks by cutting the lime into quarter and then each quarter into four again.

  2. Add the salt and lime juice and mix thoroughly to ensure the lime pieces are coated in salt. Transfer the salted limes into a large clean sterilised screw or clamp jar. Seal and leave at room temperature for 1 week.

  3. Check after a week before proceeding to the next stage to ensure that it has not fermented. Discard if it has developed; a putrid aroma, mould or bubbles as a result of fermentation.

  4. Heat oil in a small pan over medium heat. When the oil is hot but not burning hot, add the fenugreek and black mustard and cook until golden brown stirring constantly. This will take approximately 1 minute. The black mustard seeds will pop as they cook and the mixture will become aromatic as the fenugreek seeds brown. Carefully transfer the hot seeds to a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder, add the turmeric and asafoetida and grind to a paste.

  5. Mix the salted limes mixture and spice paste together, transfer back to the jar and seal and store for another 2 weeks at room temperature. After 2 weeks the pickle will have matured and is ready for use.

  6. Transfer matured pickle into smaller sterilised dry jars Label with date to use within 6 weeks of opening. 

    Keep in the refrigerator after it has been opened.  

NOTES

  • The pickle can be made without the asafoetida powder, but its worth seeking it out as it provides that authentic touch.   It has the unique ability to harmonise the strong sweet, sour and spicy flavours.
  • It's available in Indian and Asian  speciality grocery stores 
  • Asafoetida  is a perennial herb, native to the mountains of Afghanistan and Persia and a common ingredient in Indian cuisine. It has been described as having a pungent odorous smell and apart form  being referred to as the food of the gods and giant fennel is also stinking gum and devils dung.  
  • This  a salted matured pickle and as it is not cooked, it should be made is small batches,  kept in the fridge after opening and consumed within 6 weeks.
  • Indian pickles are referred to as Achaar.