We all know that lemon is beneficial to our health. It contains many nourishing elements such as vitamins and minerals. It has antioxidant and cancer fighting properties. In India lemon pickle is very popular, and is considered good for digestion. It is a good remedy for problems related to indigestion and constipation. In my house we regularly make sweet lemon pickle, that has a combination of sweet and tangy flavor. This simple pickle has very few ingredients, and is oil free. Lemon pickle available in market contains oil, whereas this version of healthy sweet lemon pickle can be easily made at home.
Watch video of sweet lemon pickle:
You can also read the recipe of gajar gobhi aur shalgam ka achar – pickle of carrot, cauliflower and turnip, and a fermented carrot drink called gajar ki kanji.
Lemons ready to be pickled
For this sweet lemon pickle, I have used fresh blemish free lemons with thin skin. I washed the lemons thoroughly, and wiped them with a clean kitchen towel. While making pickle cleanliness and hygiene are of utmost importance in order to avoid fungal development in the pickle.
I then cut the lemons into four pieces.
Then squeezed out the juice from half of these lemons and kept the juice in a separate bowl. I added the lemon peels from which I had removed the juice to rest of the lemon pieces. I added salt to these lemon pieces and mixed them well. Then I put these slices in a sterilized glass jar. I added the lemon juice to these slices. This step helps in making the pickle juicy. I then closed the jar tightly, and kept it in a warm place. It takes from twenty to thirty days to soften the slices. It is necessary to toss the pickle everyday to avoid formation of fungus. Either shake the jar (if there is some space in the jar for contents to be shaken), or using a clean serving spoon, stir the contents, and close the lid tightly once again.
Lemons mixed with salt, being rested in a warm place
When the lemon skin becomes soft, take out the pickle in a large clean bowl and add sugar, black salt, black pepper powder, red chili powder, and carom seeds to it. Mix everything properly and once again transfer everything to the glass jar. Close the lid tightly, and again store at a warm place for about a week, shaking the contents occasionally. By now the color of the pickle will change from bright yellow to dull brown. The pickle is now ready.
Savor this sweet lemon pickle with parathas
The color of pickle changes with time. Aged pickle is considered to be very good for digestion. Very old pickle turns black in color. I have ten years old pickle that has dried. I now intend to put it in grinder and obtain a healthy digestive churan powder.
I savor this pickle with paratha, paneer kulcha, and also with khichdi.
Recipe of Sweet Lemon Pickle
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| Servings | Prep Time |
| 1 kg | 15 minutes |
| Passive Time |
| one and half months |
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This sweet and tangy pickle is oil free, and good for digestion. ICleanliness is of utmost importance while making pickle in order to avoid fungal formation in the pickle.
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- 1/2 kg lemon blemish free and with thin skin
- 1/2 kg sugar
- salt to taste
- 2 teaspoons black salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper powdered
- 1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon carom seeds
- Wash all the lemons properly, and then pat dry using a clean kitchen cloth.
- Cut all the lemons into four equal parts. Squeeze the juice out of half of the lemon slices, and keep the juice separately. Add the peels back to rest of the slices. Add salt to the slices and mix well.
- Transfer these slices to a sterilized glass jar. Add lemon juice that was kept aside. Close the lid of the jar tightly and keep it in a warm place. Let it rest for about a month or till the lemon peels become soft. Stir the pickle everyday using a clean tablespoon. You can also shake the jar vigorously instead of stirring (if there is enough space in the jar for the contents to get shaken). Every time close the lid of the jar tightly.
- After one month, pour out the pickle onto a large clean bowl. Add sugar and all the spices that are mentioned in the ingredient list above. Don't forget that we have already added salt. Taste the pickle and adjust amount of salt and sugar according to your taste. Close the lid tightly and once again keep the jar in warm place, stirring the pickle in a day or two.
- The pickle will be ready after three to four days. Enjoy it as an accompaniment with your meals. It is considered a good accompaniment to aloo ka paratha.
Tips:
- Preferably use lemon with thin skin. Thicker skin will take more time to soften up.
- Taste the pickle while adding black salt, as we have already added common salt to it. Add only as much as required.
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