English: Easy sweet lemon pickle [10256]

This is a quick and easy sweet lemon pickle that is ready within minutes as compared to the traditional recipe, which takes 20 days to prepare. Whole lemons are pressure cooked with water until the lemon skins are soft. Try to cut the lemons in the mixing bowl in which the pickle is to be combined with sugar, so that the juices of the cooked lemons are not lost (this liquid helps to dissolve the sugar). I have used castor sugar or fine crystals of sugar so that it is dissolved quickly to make syrup for this pickle. When this pickle is just prepared, the lemon skins will have a slight bitter aftertaste, which disappears once the pickle has mellowed for a day. This pickle will last for up to 3 months, when stored refrigerated.

Storage: up to 3 months.   Preparation Time: 30 mins.   Cooking Time: 10 mins.    Makes 2 cups.

Ingredients

7 (approx. 300 grams) lemons
2 tbsp. lemon juice
3 tsp salt
1/4 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
1 1/2 cups castor sugar
2 tsp chili powder

Method

1. Pressure cook the lemons with 4 cups of water for five whistles until the lemon skins are soft and give way under the pressure of your thumb.
2. Drain and let the lemons cool completely.
3. Place the lemons in a large mixing bowl. Cut them into quarters inside the bowl, to retain all the juices. Add the lemon juice and mix well.
4. Add the salt and turmeric powder to the lemons and leave aside for 10 minutes.
5. Gradually, add the sugar (2 to 3 tablespoons at a time) while stirring continuously so that all the sugar is dissolved. The entire process will take about 15 to 20 minutes.
6. Add the chili powder and mix well.
7. Store in a sterilized glass bottle and leave aside for one day. Next day, the pickle is ready to eat.
8. Store refrigerated for up to 3 months.

Enjoy  --  Bird

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