Nimmakai Pachhadi / Lemon Pickle / Nimbu ka Achaar

Ingredients:
Lemon : 4-5 medium Limes

Green Chillies: 5-6, finely chopped ( or as per taste)
Cloves of Garlic: 3 no's, finely chopped
Salt as per taste

Spices:

Red Chilli Powder : 2-3 tsp ( or as per taste )
Turmeric Powder : 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek Seeds: 1 1/2 tsp

For Tadka/Tempering/Poppu/Seasoning:

Mustard Seeds : 1 tsp
Jeera/Cumin Seeds: 1/2 tsp
Hing/Asafoetida: 1/2 tsp
2 springs of Curry Leaves
Oil : 1 tsp

Method:

1.    Wash and pat dry the lime/lemons. Make sure that there is no moisture left. With the help of a clean and dry knife, cut the limes into halves and cut each halves into 4-6 equal pieces.

2.    Start to layer the lime and salt in a clean and dry sterilised jar, preferably ceramic or glass jar with a tight lid. First place few lime pieces in a single layer and spread 1-1½ tbsp of salt on top. Continue to layer lime pieces and top them with salt until you exhaust all the limes. Close the jar and leave it in a window sill where there is plenty of sunlight steaming for 2-3 weeks. Make sure that you shake the jar once in a day to move the pieces around in the container without opening the lid. This will help in spreading the salt evenly and softening the lime.

3.    After 2-3 weeks, the limes/lemon pieces would have softened and changed their skin colour.

4.    Lightly roast the fenugreek seeds until their colour deepens to light red. Let them cool completely before grinding them to fine powder with a help of a pestle and mortar or in a spice grinder. Keep it aside until needed.

5.    Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. When mustard seeds start to pop and splutter, add finely chopped garlic and fry them until they start to brown on the edges.

6.    Mix in finely chopped green chillies and curry leaves and sauté for few seconds.

7.    Next add cured lemon pieces along with the juice and stir them for 2-3 minutes on medium heat.

8.    Mix in red chilli powder, fenugreek powder and turmeric powder and stir them well so that each lime piece is coated well with the spices. Add powdered hing and mix them well before switching off the gas.

9.    Let the Spicy Lemon Pickle or Nimbu Ka Achaar cool down to room temperature before storing it in a clean and dry airtight sterilised jar. It can be stored for 3-4 months in room temperature and upto 6-8 months in refrigerator if made with utmost care and stored in a right condition. You can serve this delicious tongue tickling Nimbu Achaar or Spicy Indian Lemon Pickle with dal and rice, yogurt rice, dosa or any Indian flat breads.