Lemon-Pickle

 #LemonPickle #ElumichaiUrugai :

This is the first time I have prepared a mouth watering #lemon #pickle. I am not a great lover of Oorugai [ pickle ]. But I used to make all kinds of #urugai [ #oorugai ] except lemon urugai [ #Elumichai #urugai ]. Previously wherever I lived I had to buy lemon from the market. Moreover the quantity of lemons I used to buy would be just enough for regular cooking. There wouldn't be any surplus lemons to try pickle preparation. 

Now I am getting plenty of lemons from my garden. I have two Gondhoraj Lemon trees, a local variety of West Bengal and another lemon tree of regular variety. Daily I am getting 30 - 40 fruits from them at the peak of the season and also they give me one or two throughout the year. The peak seasons for these trees are July - August and January - February. Now they are at the peak of the season and I have been collecting approximately 40 fruits/day for the past one month and I have been distributing them liberally to whoever I know here in #Chittaranjan, West Bengal. I have squeezed juice from nearly 100 lemons and stored the juice in the fridge. The lemon skins after squeezing out juice from the fruit were being dried in the Sun and stored in an airtight container. Now in order to preserve remaining lemons for future use and also to avoid wastage of the produce, I am being compelled to prepare oorugai [ urugai ].

Gondhoraj lemon is oblong [ elliptical ] in shape and not spherical. The skin is also thicker than the regular variety of lemon. 

Lemon juice is a rich source of Vitamin C. It has 64% daily value of Vitamin C in 100 gm of juice.

There are two stages involved in the preparation of Lemon Pickle

1.The lemons are cut into pieces and cooked in steam till the skin becomes soft.

2. Then the steam cooked lemon pieces are mixed with red chilly powder, turmeric powder, fenugreek powder, asafoetida & salt sauteed in plenty of oil to make a tasty pickle.

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

Ingredients :
1 Cup	Lemon pieces
3 Tsp	Red Chilly powder
1/2 Tsp	Turmeric powder
1/4 Tsp	Fenugreek [ venthayam ]
1 Tsp	Mustard Seeds
Small piece	Asafoetida
1/3 Cup	Gingelly oil [ Sesame / Til oil ]
2 Tsp	Salt

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

Method :
Cutting and steam cooking lemon  :

Wash 5 - 6 lemons well in water.
Pat dry with a clean kitchen towel.
Halve it into two.

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

Heat a pressure cooker with three cups of water on a stove over high flame.

First place the bottom plate inside the pressure cooker.
Now keep the vessel containing lemon pieces over the bottom plate inside the pressure cooker.
Close the pressure cooker with its lid & without weight over the nozzle.

Allow it to steam cook for 12 minutes.

Turn off the stove and take out the vessel.
The rind [ skin ] of lemon pieces would have been cooked softly.
Set aside.

Making Pickle :

Heat an iron kadai on a stove over medium heat.
Add half a teaspoon of oil and wait till it becomes hot.
Put fenugreek [ venthayam ] and stir continuously with a long ladle till golden color.
Transfer into a mortar.
Crush into powder using a pestle and set aside.

Now add 1/3 cup of oil and heat over a medium flame.
Crackle mustard seeds once oil becomes hot.
Then add asafoetida piece and fry well.
Reduce the flame and slowly add steamed lemon pieces.
Stir well adding turmeric powder and then red chilly powder.
Then add salt and mix well.

Allow to simmer on slow flame and keep stirring at regular intervals.
After sometime the oil drops start appearing on the surface of the pickle.
Let it be on slow flame till all the oil we have included comes out, becomes shiny
and subsequently the pickle drowns under the oil.
Finally add fenugreek powder into the simmering pickle and mix well.

Turn off the stove and transfer into a clean and dry porcelain or glass bowl.
Keep the porcelain or glass bowl on a dry wooden board while transferring hot pickle into it.
Allow to cool down completely and then store in a clean dry glass or pet bottle.

Allow the pickle to stand for 4 to 5 days and then start consuming it.
Use a clean and dry spoon to serve the pickle.
It can be stored in the normal room temperature.
Or can be stored in the refrigerator

Spicy lemon pickle goes well with Curd rice and other tiffin items.

Other pickle recipes you might like to try

Maangai thokku [ Mango pickle ]

Avakkai - mystyle

Kothamalli thokku -Coriander Pickle

Thakkali thokku - Tomato Pickle

Nellikkai urugai - Amla Pickle

Ponderosa Lemon Pickle [ Citron pickle ]

Recipe Index

Ponderosa-Lemon-Pickle

#PonderosaLemonPickle #CitronPickle : Last month my maid gave me a lemon that was as big as a mango. It was looking shiny and having a little bumpy surface. I asked her what it was called in this region [ in West Bengal ]. She told me that it's a big lemon and she got it from the neighboring house. I asked her what could be prepared from it. She told me that pickle can be made from the fruit along with green chilly adding salt.

When I lifted it in my hand it was heavy and I definitely felt that it was not a lemon. It was slightly flat at the top with a thick stem. The fruit was elliptical in shape and the bottom was pointed shape. It was approximately 10 - 12 cm long on the lengthier side and 6 - 7 cm wide at the middle of the fruit. I presumed that it might be a citron variety but with lemon look.

Immediately I decided to prepare pickle from it without pondering much about the variety and type of fruit it was.

Halved the lemon and removed seeds as far as possible and chopped into small pieces. Steam cooked the pieces in an idli maker for 12 minutes and then prepared spicy pickle. When I tasted the pickle as soon as I made it, it was bitter.
 I allowed it to cure for 4 - 5 days and then tasted again.  It was great and only after being satisfied with taste and texture I decided to write the recipe in my blog here.

Yesterday I decided to start writing the recipe. But before doing that I have to find the name of the fruit I had used. So I started searching on the net comparing my picture with the pictures available on the net. Initially I thought it was Eureka lemon. But even though the shape is similar after examining different pictures I found out that Eureka lemon has a thin skin [ rind ]. Also I learned that Eureka lemon has lesser seeds or sometimes seedless also. So I came to the conclusion that the fruit was not Eureka lemon.

Again I started matching mine with photos on the net. I also watched some videos on the subject. I came across a video showing a lemon called Ponderosa lemon. The shape and color somewhat matched mine. The cut portions exactly matched the fruit I used. Now I am sure it is Ponderosa lemon. If any of you could figure out the fruit I would welcome your suggestion also here.

#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 thr 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	Ponderosa Lemon [ Citron ]
3 Tsp	Red Chilly powder
1/2 Tsp	Turmeric powder
1/4 Tsp	Fenugreek [ venthayam ]
1 Tsp	Mustard Seeds
Small piece	Asafoetida
1/3 Cup	Gingelly oil [ Sesame / Til oil ]
2 Tsp	Salt

Note : I always use gingelly oil to make pickle. 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.
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.


Making Pickle :

Heat an iron kadai on a stove over medium heat.
Add half a teaspoon of oil and wait till it becomes hot.
Put fenugreek [ venthayam ] and stir continuously with a long ladle till golden color.
Transfer into a mortar.
Crush into powder using a pestle and set aside.

Now add 1/3 cup of oil and heat over a medium flame.
Crackle mustard seeds once oil becomes hot.
Then add asafoetida piece and fry well.
Reduce the flame and slowly add steamed ponderosa lemon pieces.
Stir well adding turmeric powder and red chilly powder.
Then add salt and mix well.

Allow to simmer on slow flame and keep stirring at regular intervals.
After sometime the oil drops start appearing on the surface of the pickle.
Let it be on slow flame till the oil we have included comes out, becomes shiny
and subsequently the pickle drowns under the oil.
Finally add fenugreek powder into the simmering pickle and mix well.

Turn off the stove and transfer into a clean and dry porcelain or glass bowl.
Keep the porcelain or glass bowl on a dry wooden board while transferring hot pickle into it.
Allow to cool down completely and then store in a clean dry glass or pet bottle.
Allow the pickle to stand for 4 to 5 days and then start consuming it.
Use a clean and dry spoon to serve the pickle.
It can be stored in the normal room temperature.
Or can be stored in the refrigerator

Spicy lemon pickle goes well with Curd rice and other tiffin items.









Other pickle recipes you might like to try

Maangai thokku [ Mango pickle ]

Avakkai - mystyle

Kothamalli thokku -Coriander pickle

Thakkali thokku - Tomato Mix

Nellikkai urugai - Amla Pickle

Lemon Pickle [ elumichai Urugai ]

Recipe Index

Mixed-Vegetable-Pickle

#MixedVegetablePickle #MixedVegetableUrugai : A tasty and mouth watering #urugai [ #pickle ] can be prepared from fresh vegetables like carrot, radish, turmeric, green chilly along with lemon.

Ingredients :
3 to 4 big sized	Lemon
1 medium size	Carrot fresh
1 medium size	Radish Fresh
3 to 4	Green Chilly [ adjust ]
2 inch long	Ginger
1 inch long	Turmeric
1 Tbsp	Mustard powder
2 Tbsp	Salt [ Adjust ]
4 Tbsp	Gingelly Oil [ Till/Sesame oil ]
1 Tsp	Mustard seed

Method :
Heat a kadai with oil on a stove over medium heat.
Crackle mustard seeds once oil starts fuming.
Turn off stove and allow to cool down.

Wash carrot, radish, green chilly and lemon in water 2 or 3 times.
Pat dry with a clean kitchen towel.

Chop carrot, radish, green chilly, ginger and turmeric nicely.
Chop lemon also into small pieces.

Put all the chopped ingredients into a glass or porcelain bowl.
Add mustard powder and salt.
Mix well with a dry and clean spoon.

Check the oil whether it has come down to room temperature.
Pour it into the vegetable mixture.
Mix well. 

Close with a clean & dry lid and set aside for curing.
It takes around 4 to 5 days to get cured.

It can be stored in a glass or pet bottle in room temperature.
The pickle can be stored in refrigerator to increase its shelf life.
Always use a clean and dry spoon to serve pickle.

An excellent accompaniment for curd rice and Kanji.
It also goes well with roti.

Other pickle recipes you might like to try

Inji Thokku	kothamalli thokku	nellikkai thokku
Avakkai urugai	maangai thokku	Elumichangai urugai

For Other Preserves

Preserves and Pickles