Marisa Sung’s Nimbu Ka Achar

A salt and spice cure transforms fresh citrus into tart, briny pickes!

Ingredients:
10 small lemons, preferably Meyer, quartered, seeded and sliced 1/4″ thick.
1/4 cup kosher salt
1 tsp. ground turmeric
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 tsp. brown mustard seeds
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
1/2 tsp. fenugreek seeds
12 small green Thai chilies or 6 serranos, halved
8 thinly sliced garlic cloves
1 2′ piece of ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 cup of white vinegar
1/4 cup of Organic Indian White Honey
1 tbsp. red chile powder or cayenne

Steps:
1. Rub lemons with salt and turmeric in a bowl; pack into a sterilized 1 qt glass jar.
2. Cover with lid; place near window with direct, warm sunlight.
3. Let sit a week; shake jar daily to disperse brine.
4. After 1 week, heat oil in a 10″ skillet over medium-high.
5. Cook mustard, cumin, and fenugreek seeds until they pop=1-2 mins.
6. Add chilies, garlic, and ginger; cook until golden = 4-6 mins.
7. Stir in vinegar, honey and chile powder; pour over lemons and reseal lid.
8. Shake to combine; chill 1 week to infuse flavors.

This keeps up to 1 year!

The Hundred-Foot Journey