February 23, 2013

Nimbu achar

While planning my bharat darshan last year, there were a few specific things, in addition to general family and country history, that I knew I wanted to learn. One of them was Bua's nimbu achar, or lemon pickle. The pickle is similar to other Indian pickles -- but, as it's homemade and a bit sweet, not quite as pungent as others I've tasted -- and, thus, easier on my American taste buds.

My mom has been canning jams, veggies and fruits, including her famous lime pickles, for decades. I recently got in on the fun, having preserved a batch of my cranberry-ginger chutney during the holidays. Surely I could master lemon pickle, right?

I had mentioned wanting to learn this recipe to the family -- so right after our first lunch in Chandigarh last week, Bua set about teaching me, step by step, how it's done -- assuring me along the way that it is, in fact, a very easy recipe.

This process can take as much as week, depending on climate and your access to sun -- so get an early start if you want to serve this at your next brunch! I also recommend starting in the afternoon, as we did, so the recipe will be easiest to follow. Finally, as with all preserving, make sure to wash your hands frequently and to use only clean pans and utensils. Enjoy!

The process starts with placing lemons in a bath of boiled water.
Next, the lemons are removed from the water, covered and left overnight.
The taste of the pickle owes much to the combination of traditional India spices added. Here, Bua counts out the ingredients for our masala. 
Bua uses salt, cloves, cinnamon bark, black cardamom, cumin seeds and peppercorns to season her nimbu achar.
After adding our salt and spice mix, we left the pickle in the sun to rest again.
The last ingredient is sugar. Once this layer is added, it's simply a game of waiting for the syrup to form and then to dry up.
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Nimbu Achar
from the kitchen of Vimla Bhatnagar

100g lemons (about five small lemons)
     *choose lemons with a soft, thin skin to make the pickling easier
25g salt
20g sugar
garam masala spices (to be ground):
     a few shavings of cinnamon bark
     4-5 cloves
     6-7 black peppercorns
     1 pod black cardamom
     20-30 cumin seeds

Wash and dry the lemons. Boil enough water to cover the lemons; remove pan from heat and place lemons into the water. Cover and let sit for four to five hours.

Remove lemons from water and place in a bowl. Cover and let sit overnight.

The next morning, dry and quarter the lemons. Mix in a non-reactive bowl with the salt. Grind the masala, leaving it a bit course, and stir into the lemons and salt. Cover with a towel or cheesecloth and let the bowl sit in the sun.

On the following morning, cover the lemon mixture with a layer of sugar; don't mix. Let the pickle sit as the sugar and juices combine to form a syrup around the lemon pieces.

For several days, or until the liquid has mostly dried up, allow the pickle to continue sitting, covered with a towel or cheesecloth, in the sun. Once complete, place in a clean, dry jar.  

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