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.  

Food: Mattar paneer

A belated post from our brunch on Sunday in Dehradun. Gita-taiji's homemade paneer was delish -- much fluffier than I've been able to manage in my own experimenting. Something new to aspire to!

We also had homemade parathas. I didn't try my hand at making them, but I did watch and take copious mental notes as Gita-taiji rolled, folded, added oil and rolled again before placing the dough on the tava, a great little pan for making Indian flatbreads.

With all of this learning, I'm starting to plot out a homemade "sari Sunday" brunch for when I'm back in San Francisco!

Homemade mattar paneer and parathas.

Dehradun, land of sweets

"Land of Rain" might be a better nickname for Dehradun in the 28-odd hours since I arrived here -- but in memory, for me, it's the land of sweets made by Gita-taiji, wife to one of Pops' six brothers.

We arrived yesterday afternoon and have had something sweet at every meal thus far. We started off at lunch with Gita-taiji's homemade gajar halwa.

Gita-taiji's homemade gajar halwa, that delicious carrot pudding.

At tea, we had an entire array of sweets to choose from -- so, obviously, I took one of each.

An assortment of Gita-taiji's sweets, including (l-r): sesame seed ladoo, coconut  burfi and besan burfi, which is made with gram flour.

Finally, we finished off dinner with a bit of gazak (more on that soon in a #latergram food catch-up) and some soan papdi.

I've had soan papdi before and found it just fine -- but this one, packed up from Haldiram's, was especially melty, like a good piece of cotton candy. (Pardon the turmeric under my nails.)

As you can see, I might have been underestimating my sweet tooth when I told Anna R. that I hadn't quite yet developed a taste for Indian sweets. As it turns out, I've been diving into them at every turn on this trip.

At the moment, in fact, I'm being summoned for my cooking lesson. Perhaps I'll be making some of these myself soon in San Francisco.

Food: A light dinner at home

Tuesday's dinner: Egg bhurji (scramble) with mattar (peas).

Food: Fish curry at home

Pardon the flurry of these posts -- much catch up!

Here: Fish curry at home Monday in Bombay. Pomfret in a tomato-coconut milk sauce.

Food: Breakfast in Chandigarh

Quite a spread, huh? The usual cereal and fruit, plus some mattar kachori made by Vinita-didi.

Breakfast: Upma and cold coffee

I've got to start posting these right away, or I'll never catch up. Another round-up on its way, but let's start with today's breakfast.

I'm really fond of upma -- and after I ordered it at Willingdon on Saturday, Ma asked bai (their cook) to make some here at home.

Upma -- a savory semolina dish, this one prepared with onions, peas, tomatoes and cilantro.

Since it's gotten a little warmer here -- 73 degrees Fahrenheit as I write, likely to get close to 90 today -- and I'd just finished my workout, I paired the upma with a cold coffee -- a favorite of Vivek's. His mom insisted on mixing it up for me, and it was perfection -- chilled with some ice, not too sweet, and just the right amount of coffee. (In fact, I kept sticking my nose in the glass to take in the coffee-house aroma.)

Cold coffee -- made with milk and instant coffee, blended in the mixer so it gets some froth.

Most breakfasts in India over my many visits have been cornflakes with fresh fruit, almonds and cold milk -- and I love that very much, as it's a nice normal meal each day, similar to what I'd have in San Francisco -- but this was a great treat.

Hello from Bombay

Just a quick post to say I've arrived in India (before I nod off for the night).

I had a lovely day in London yesterday and a nice, relaxing day of napping and eating here in Bombay today. Photos and stories to come -- stay tuned!

For now, a food posting: Dinner tonight at home, with lots of veggies and homemade chapati. Perfect after traveling so many days. As Anna would say: nourishing vegetables.

Veggies -- okra, cauliflower and bottle gourd -- with chapati and raita.

That's it for now. G'night!