Chilli Lemon Pickle
I love Indian pickles, especially lime pickle. I’ve not had much luck in the past making them, but this worked out well and used up a glut of fresh chillis from a grocery box delivery. I’m sure this isn’t quite how it was meant to be, because adding a substantial amount of wet ingredients into hot oil caused quite a commotion and filled the kitchen with chilli fumes.
This is an adaption of the ht lemon pickle in Classic Indian Cookery which is for 6 lemons and no fresh chillis.
You will need
- A whole lemon, finely diced, including the skin. Don’t worry if the juice escapes
- A big handful of birds eye chillis, picked over and cut into 5m slices
- Enough plain oil to half fill the jar
- 1 teaspoon of black mustard seeds
- 1⁄2 teaspoon of turmeric
- 1⁄2 teaspoon of fenugreek seeds
- 1⁄2 teaspoon of salt
Do
- In a dry pan toast the spices until fragrant and then grind roughly with the salt
- Heat the oil until it it shimmers in a pan with high sides (it’ll fizz up)
- Turn the heat off and dump in all the chillis, lemon and spices. It’ll bubble up like crazy and spit and hiss. Watch yourself. Oh, and it’ll fill the room with chilli vapour.
- Once it’s cooled somewhat, decant into a hot jar
- Leave for 2 weeks at least before eating
Result
Hot AF, sour AF, a little too oily, adds a super fresh kick.