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

Dhokla Sandwitch

Coffee's MBP gives me a chance to write about recipes tried from fellow bloggers. The theme for this month's MBP is "Going Lite".. I was an absolute fan of Richa's Nylon Khaman Dhokla Sandwitch when I first saw it at the round-up of Nupur's "N of Indian Vegetables!" So when coffee announced the theme "Going Lite" for this month's MBP, this was the best dish to fit into the theme.. Light on calories n light in weight as well ;) :D But surely high on nutrition!

I used Richa's recipe from here. The only change was that I used 1/2 tsp sodium bicarb and 1/2 tsp Salt instead of Eno fruit salt. And obviously left aside the cocunut part for garnishing as I am not a great fan of cocunut. And yes, I didnt have a Dhokla Steamer like the one Richa has.. Alternatively, I used my Idli Steamer.. So, I have Dhokla Idli Sandwitch now :D

My Verdict : Easy and quick recipe to please guests that show up on short notice.. It took me less than 30 mins to prepare one batch of these.. The spicy green chutney on one side and the sweet n sour lime sugar mix on the other side makes the dhoklas ever more tasty and appealing.. A keeper recipe!

Sukhadi

Coffee's MBP event demanded "Something Sweet" this month. I found the quickest, easiest and tastiest recipe for Sukhadi from here. Thanks Trupti for posting this wonderful gujarati sweet.. it is just awesome!

Sukhadi

What you need:

1 cup Wheat Flour
½ cup Jaggery
3/4 cup Ghee
2 tsp Cardamom powder
2 tbsp Milk

How to proceed:

1) Grease a wide flat plate with ghee and leave aside
2) Heat ghee in a pan
3) Add flour slowly to the ghee and mix well stirring continuously.
4) Roast the mixture until it turns golden brown and till it comes along together.
5) Now add jaggery, cardamom powder and milk.
6) Take off heat and put the mixture in greased plate.
7) Spread the mixture evenly when it is hot and then cut into desired shape
8) Let it cool and then separate and store in closed container

My Verdict: The sukhadis didn’t seem the same as those posted by Trupti. The originals seem to be hard like chikkis. Maybe due to the a bit of extra ghee (or some other mistake :D), the sukhadis turned out to be soft[I used "haath ka andaaz" for 3/4 cup of Ghee]. But thankfully there was no compromise on the taste :) The sukhadis just melted in the mouth and (seriously) gave the feeling of eating kaju katlis!! :)