Limbacha Loncha (Lemon Pickle)

Last week, Coffee announced the theme “Preserve it” for MBP July, and I was so glad about it.. I had just prepared something just fitting for the theme.. “No oil lemon pickle” using this recipe from Manisha. Actually I should thank Nupur’s post which leads me to the original recipe! The pickle is 6 days old now and is resting on my window sill for Sun God to shower His blessings on it ;) I loved the lovely pictorial step by step method by Manisha, used the same ingredients and proportions used by her, but changed some timelines while adding the ingredients.. Can update more on the taste as soon as its ripe.. I think It’ll take a month or so as the sun is not so hot regularly here.. But the pickle tastes yummy when I lick the fork after I mix it every morning! :)

Limbacha Loncha

What you need:

4 big Lemons
1/4 cup Salt
1/8 cup Red Chilli powder
1/4 cup Sugar
2 tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tsp Methi Seeds
1 tsp Mustard Seeds
1/4 tsp Hing Powder
Juice of 1 lemon

How to proceed:
1) Take a glass jar (approx for 1 kg) and wash,clean and dry it totally
2) Wash and pat dry the lemons
3) Cut each lemon in 12-15 small pieces
4) Add these pieces to the glass jar and retain the lemon jucie that drips while cutting
5) When all pieces are added to the jar, shake the jar a well to settle down the pieces.
6) Now add salt and shake well
7) Add juice of one lemon and that juice while cutting lemons n mix well
8) Now close the jar and leave aside. Shake it on the second day using a dry spoon.
9) On day 3, add chilli powder, turmeric and sugar to the jar
10) Heat a pan, add methi seeds, mustard seeds and hing and saute till the methi seeds turn brown.
11) Grind these to a fine powder and add this powder to the pickle jar
12) Now use a dry sppon to mix the contents in the jar
13) When done, place the jar in a place where there is ample sun during day time
14) Shake the contents using a dry spoon every day until the pickle becomes ripe. This procedure might take a month or two depending on peel thickness of the lemons that are used.
15) These pickles can be stored for months, taken care that it does not come in contact with water.
Here's my first ever stock of home made lemon pickle proudly standing in the sun, awaiting to please me! ;)

* If the lemons have seeds in it, remove them while cutting