Nimbu Chatni Achar (Lime Chutney Pickle) Recipe

Limes, Produce, and dried fruits are chopped, pickled in lime juice and vinegar

This is not a traditional pickle or a traditional Chutney. It combines both the aspects in a single condiment. You can chop the limes in a food processor. I like to chop by hand so that every ingredient is chopped to about ¼".

Ingredients

Salt Curing

1. Limes: 1½ Pounds

2. Ginger root: 2"x1"

3. Serrano: 6

4. Onions: 1 Cup Chopped

5. Sea salt: 5 Tablespoon

6. Kala Namak (Black Salt): 1 Tablespoons

Masala Preserve

1. Anise: 1 Tablespoon

Coarse ground consistency same as spent coffee grounds

2. Green Cardamoms seeds: 1 Tablespoon

3. Asafoetida: ½ teaspoon

4. Ajwain (Carom) : 1 Tablespoon

5. Black Mustard seeds Cracked: 1 Tablespoon

6. Black Peppercorn Cracked: 2 teaspoon

7. Jaggery grated and packed, or Brown sugar packed: ¾ cup

8. Seedless raisins:¼ cup

9. Hot red pepper flakes: 1 Table spoons

10: Lime juice from 8 Limes

Method

Prepare Produce and dry

1. Wash limes in plenty of water. Pat dry with paper towel.

2. Chop limes about ¼" thick.

3. Peel and chop ginger about .¼" thick

4.  Wash Serrano in running water. Pat dry with paper towel. Repeat again with dry paper towel. You want to make sure there is no water moisture is left. Chop Serrano about ¼" thick

5. Peel and chop onion about ¼" thick.

6. Scatter produce in a glass baking tray in a single tier

7. Preheat oven to lowest setting about 200º F. Put the baking tray  in the oven. Leave the door ajar about 2 to 3 inches. Remove the baking tray  after 45 minutes or till the limes are dry

Salt Curing

1. Mix salt to limes in the baking tray

2. Preheat oven to lowest setting about 200º F. Put the baking tray  in the oven. Leave the door ajar about 2 to 3 inches. Remove the baking tray  after 45 minutes.

3. Cover the tray with Muslin cloth. Put the tray on the top shelf of your kitchen cupboard overnight.

4. Repeat step 2 and 3 for six days to cure limes with salt

Poaching Chutney

1. Mix all the spices. Mix to salted limes in the baking tray

2. Cut limes in half. Squeeze put as much lime juice as possible. Add lime juice to the pan

3. Add Vinegar

4. Heat mixture to 180º F. Simmer between 180º F to 185º F, un-covered for 30 minutes.

6. Turn off heat. Let the mixture cool down to room temperature

Storing Pickle

Transfer the pickle to sterilized wide-mouth Pickling Crock (stoneware)

Store in dry cool dark place. It will stay good for up to five years