Pickles...whether it is with chilly powder like gooseberry or mango, or without chilly powder (lemon green chilly pickle), adds a certain zing to all Indian foods.
While I have shared a lime pickle recipe as made by my grandmother before, this recipe is by Mrs. Gracy Mathew, a person who used to own a pickling unit.
This pickle can be twisted to suit your taste buds and made sweet by adding more dates.
Ingredients:
Lemons / lime - 1/2 kg
Dates - 1/4 to 1/2 cup (depending on the sweetness you wish)
Ginger chopped - 2 tbsp
Green chillies chopped - 3 tbsp
Pickle powder - 1 large cup
Coconut oil - 1/2 cup
Vinegar - 1/4 cup
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Gingelly/ til/ oil (Nallenai) - 1/2 cup
Wash the lemons well and place in a vessel. Add enough water to cover and keep for boiling.
Once it boils hard for 2 minutes, turn off flame and cool. Cut each into quarters or eights. Remove as many seeds as possible.
Similarly, boil the ginger and green chilly.
All the ingredients are prepped and ready.
Heat the gingelly oil and splutter the mustard seeds. Then add the green chilly and ginger.
The ginger must turn slightly golden.
Reduce flame & saute for a minute. Then add the pickle powder.
After frying on low flame for 1 minute, add the cooked dates.
When the dates are well coated, add the lemon pieces.
After 2 minutes, make a well in the middle...
Let it boil for 1 minute. Mix well.
Turn off flame and add the coconut oil.
Pickle is ready.
Cool and store in glass jar.
