Cuisine of Punjab:Hot Lime Pickle

Recipie :

• serves 12 – 16
• 12 limes
• 4 cups boiling-hot water
• 3 Tbsp. Spice ‘N Flavor Pickle Masala
• 1/2 cup distilled or cider vinegar
• 3 Tbsp. vegetable or corn oil
• 3 Tbsp. julienne ginger
• 3 Tbsp. julienne garlic
• 2 fresh green cayenne or serrano chilies, quartered (optional)
• 2 tsp. salt

DIRECTIONS :

1. Immerse limes in hot water 5 mins. to soften skins and reduce bitterness. Drain limes, wipe dry and cut into quarters saving the juice.

2. In a small bowl mix together Spice ‘N Flavor Pickle Masala and vinegar and set aside.

3. In a medium pan (non-stick, stainless steel is ideal), heat oil over moderate heat and sauté ginger, garlic, chilies and salt, stirring 2 mins. Add spice paste and sauté stirring, 1 min.

4. Remove pan from heat and add lime quarters (with the juice), mixing well. Add salt to taste and cool pickle to room temperature.

5. When cool, transfer pickle to sterilized jars and seal. Let pickle stand 2 to 3 weeks, sealed and at room temperature, to allow flavors to develop.

6. Mix pickle well and serve with a clean dry utensil (moisture will cause pickle to spoil). Refrigerate after opening. (Pickle keeps, refrigerated, 6 months.)

Serve with rice (steamed or pilaf) and as an accompaniment to many Indian dishes.

CHEF’S TIP :

• Before sautéeing ginger, garlic, chilies and salt in step 3, to hot oil add 1/2 tsp. each of black mustard seeds, fennel seeds (optional) and fenugreek seeds and sauté, covered, until popping sound stops.

• For a fruity pickle add 3 Tbsp. raisins or other dried fruits when mixing in lime in step 4.

• For hotter pickles increase the number of green chilies.

• When pickling green mangoes, garlic, ginger root, carrots, beets, green papaya or pineapples, mix them raw into the pickling mixture in step 4 or sauté alone with other ingredients in step 3.

• Before pickling karela (bitter gourd) slice thin, fry the slices until tender, and drain on paper towels.

• To make a sweet and hot pickle add 2 Tbsp. sugar (brown if available) to pickle in step 4.

• Try using mustard or sesame oil for unique taste.

Do not use aluminum utensils for making pickles as the acids may react with the metal and alter the taste.