Lemon Pickle | Elumichai Oorugai

Lemon Pickle | Elumichai Oorugai

Lemon pickle/elumichai oorugai is a delicious tangy ,spicy and traditional Indian pickle variety .There are many variations of this pickle, as the procedure varies for every family,the recipe given below is traditionally followed in my family .We usually boil the lemon for 2 minutes to soften the skin and then pickle them,this is done to reduce the bitterness of the lemon skin.Check out the recipe below.

Ingredients

Lemon-6 nos 

Lemon juice -from 3 lemons

Red chilly powder -4-6 tsps or as required
Turmeric powder-1 tsp

Powdered rock salt -1/4 -1/2 cup or as required

Fenugreek seeds powder -1 tsp

Mustard seeds powder -1 tsp

Gingelly oil -3/4  cup

Mustard seeds -1 tsp

Method

👉Boil water in a vessel/ kadai put the washed lemon into it ,add turmeric powder,boil for 2 mins ,switch off the stove and cover the kadai and set aside for 2 mins.Do not let keep them in water for more than 2 minutes as it will soften the skin too much and will be difficult to cut it.

👉Remove the lemon from the water,dry them well using a clean kitchen towel ,allow it to cool well.

👉Now cut the lemon into 8 pieces and use the juice which oozes out while cutting.

👉Transfer the lemon pieces into a mixing bowl or pickle jar .

👉Add red chilly powder mix well .

👉Add powdered rock salt( little by little ,do not add full salt at the beginning itself check and then add ) mix well.

👉Add lemon juice mix well.

👉Add fenugreek powder and mustard seeds powder mix well.

👉Heat gingelly oil in a tadka pan add mustard seeds allow it to crackle.

👉Add this to the pickle mix well.

👉Close with a lid and set the pickle aside for one day without disturbing it.

👉Next day use a clean dry laddle and mix the pickle gently.

👉Make sure there is a layer of gingelly oil on top,if not add slightly warmed gingelly oil on top mix well.

👉Transfer the pickle carefully into the pickle jar (if you are using a mixing bowl to mix the pickle ) or close the pickle jar and set aside.

👉Serve the next day.

Note-

✍️If you want to try the traditional method of pickling do not boil the lemon,just cut them mix with powdered rock salt ,lemon juice and cover them with clean muslin cloth and keep them under the sun for a week gently mixing them occasionally.
✍️Now after a week add red chilly powder, turmeric powder, fenugreek seeds powder,mustard seeds powder,hot gingelly oil and temper the pickle with mustard seeds and asafetida mix well.
✍️Close with lid use the next day .This is a bit tedious process and done for large quantities of pickle.