Ponderosa-Lemon-Puli-Pachadi

#PonderosaLemonPuliPachadi  #CitronPuliPachadi :
A few days back I received a big lemon from my neighbour. I have found out the name of that big lemon through web search. The big lemon is called #PonderosaLemon. It is actually a citron fruit but taste like a true lemon. I made a tasty pickle from it.
Now again I got another Ponderosa lemon from my neighbor and this time it was even more bigger in size than the earlier one. It was approximately 15 cm long on the lengthier side and might be 7 - 8 cm wide at the middle. I have clicked through camera by keeping it next to a normal sized guava just to show how big the lemon was!

I was pondering over what could be prepared from it other than pickle. Then a dish came to my mind that my mom used to make from citron fruit and I decided to make it with the fruit. It was a tamarind based dish and called puli pachadi. Usually citron rind slightly bitter in taste. Tamarind juice is being added to lessen the bitter taste.

#PonderosaLemon was originally developed in Italy as a hybrid between a Citron [ which has large pointed fruit ] and a table lemon. Ponderosa lemon tree is often grown as an ornamental tree in the garden. It is also called by a nickname - " the five pound lemon " as they are massive when compared to regular lemon sizes. These lemons do not often grow quite that big every harvest but they do often reach three to four pounds at the end of the season.
Ponderosa Lemon bears medium to large fruits that have a thick and bumpy rind [ skin ]. The fruits are seedy and white. They look similar to a citron [ நார்த்தங்காய் ] but taste like a lemon. The rind is thicker and bumpier than true lemon, with a typical yellow lemon color. Inside the fruit is pale yellow-green, juicy and seedy. The taste is very acidic, similar to true lemon.

Nutritional value of Ponderosa Lemon :
They are very high in Vitamin C like lemons.
One half cup of ponderosa lemon juice contains the full daily recommendation of Vitamin C.
It also has small amount of dietary fiber and Iron. Low in Calories.
The juice contains antioxidants which promote health and strengthen the immune system.

Preparation Time              : 25 Mins
Cooking Time                   : 20 - 25 mins
Quantity of pickle             : 1 Cup approx.

This recipe holds good for any Citron fruit.

Ingredients :
1 Cup	Ponderosa Lemon [ Citron ] chopped
10 - 15	Fresh Green Chilly [ adjust ]
1 Tbsp	Turmeric tuber chopped
1/ 1/2 Tbsp	Ginger chopped nicely
Lemon size	Tamarind
Marble size piece	Jaggery
1 Tsp	Mustard seeds
2 Tsp	Bengal gram [ Channa dal ]
Small piece	Asafoetida
3 Tbsp	Gingelly oil [ Sesame / Til oil ]
1/2 Tsp	Black pepper Powder
2 Tsp	Salt [ adjust ]

Note : I always use gingelly oil to make pickle/pachadi. It can be replaced with ground nut oil or any other cooking oil.

Method :

Cutting and steam cooking Ponderosa lemon [ citron ] :

Wash the fruit well in water.
Halve it into two.
Remove the seeds from the center of the fruit.

Cut into small equal sized pieces. { approx. 1 Cup }
Transfer into a vessel.

Soak tamarind in hot water.

Heat an Idli maker with two cups of water on a stove over high flame.
Keep the vessel containing citron pieces on a steamer plate inside the idli maker.
Close idli maker and allow it to steam cook for 12 minutes.
[ Or steam cook it using a pressure cooker without putting weight over the cooker lid ]
Turn off the stove and take out the vessel.
The rind of citron pieces would have cooked soft.
Set aside.

Squeeze out juice from soaked tamarind adding little water.
Strain through a colander into a bowl and set aside.
Chop chilly nicely.
Now all the preparation work is over and have to start making pachadi.

Method of making Pachadi :

Heat an iron kadai on a stove over medium heat.
Add 3 Tbsp of oil and wait till it attains smoking temperature.
Reduce the flame and add mustard seeds, asafoetida and bengal gram.
Stir well till bengal gram [ channa dal ] turns golden color.

Then add chilly pieces and stir for a minute.
Now add chopped ginger and turmeric tuber.
Saute for 2 minutes.

Then add steamed pieces and saute for 3 to 5 minutes.
Now add tamarind juice and salt. Mix well.
Let it be on slow flame till oil comes out and floats on the surface.

Finally add jaggery, 1/2 Tsp black pepper powder [ optional ] and mix well.
Let it simmer for another 2 - 3 minutes or till the pachadi becomes shiny.
Turn off the stove and transfer into a porcelain or glass bowl.
Keep it open on the kitchen platform or on the table till it cools down to room temperature.

Close with a lid after it cools down completely.

It cane be transferred into a clean and dry glass/pet bottle and stored in the fridge.

The Ponderosa lemon puli pachadi [ citron puli pachadi ] goes well with hot white rice mixed with lentil
and also curd rice. 

Spicy n tangy mixed rice can also be prepared!

Take hot white rice in a basin or wide mouthed vessel.

Add 2 Tsp of gingelly oil [ sesame/til ] and allow to cool down under the fan.

Temper mustard seeds, bengal gram, peanut and curry leaves with a teaspoon of oil and transfer into the vessel containing white rice.

After it cools down add pepper powder, 1 or 2 tsp of Ponderosa lemon puli pachadi [ citron pachadi ], and salt. Mix gently adding required amount of salt.

If you want the rice to be spicy then add red chilly powder also.

Now spicy n tangy puli pachadi rice is ready to relish.

Have with any spicy curry 

or with crunchy vengaya vathal.






Other recipes you might like to try

Maangai thokku [ Mango pickle ]

avakkai - mystyle

Ponderosa Lemon Pickle

Venthaya Pachadi

nellikkai urugai

Recipe Index

Salad and Pachadi