HUM PAANCH LIME PICKLE

Cooking becomes a bane more so when it melts down to mundane… agree with me? Yessss…..let’s step out of the stereotype….Step in straight into this recipe. Delicious delicacy designed just for you! Before we begin, whisper from me for your ears only - “No cooking and not a drop of oil”!!

Pickle with a difference….lime, the prime ingredient here, hogs the limelight. But the thrill lies in experiencing the shrill feel of 5 different tastes. While lime rinds render the sour and bitter taste, salt makes its statement in style, jaggery  melting itself gracefully, leaving no choice but to call it “Oh so sweet” and red chillies spicing up to make it savory, together creating a mouth melting medley, calling themselves “Hum Paanch Pickle”!

Dish Type: South Indian Side dish

Preparation Time: 10 min

Marinating time: 60 min

Grinding time: 5 to 10 min

Yield: 100 gms

Ingredients

Lime                8 nos.

Red Chillies     16 nos.

Jaggery            50 gms

Turmeric         A pinch

Asafoetida       A pinch (optional)

Salt to taste     1 tsp approx.

Directions

Cut each lime into half. Squeeze out the juice and store it separately. Use it for making “Lime Juice Gojju”.

Chop lime rinds into fine pieces. Keep them in a bowl. Add salt, jaggery and turmeric powder into this bowl. Mix them thoroughly, cover with a lid. Let it marinate for atleast an hour.

(Mix can also be stored in an air tight glass bottle and stored in fridge if you wish to proceed with the next steps later.)

Fry red chillies in a kadai with just a drop of oil. Let it cool.

After an hour or so, grind the lime rind mix and red chillies coarsely. Now grind it further to desired consistency. (Consistency need not be too fine or smooth).

Check the taste and adjust quantities of salt, jaggery and chili powder if required.

Transfer the contents to an air tight container. Store it in fridge for longer shelf life.

Hum Paanch Lime Pickle is now ready for use.

Tete – a - Tete

Lime juice has not been used in this preparation. However, small quantity of lime juice may be added if wet texture is preferred.

This pickle can be used along with hot steaming rice, bread, idli, dosa and chapathis.

Lime peel has excellent medicinal properties. It is a digestive stimulant. It helps cure cold, cough and congestion. It contains high levels of antioxidants. When used in its natural state, the effects of antioxidants are enhanced by the high levels of Vitamin C present in it.

Lime peels can be used as body scrub.  

Clean tip: Throw some citrus peels into the garbage bin regularly to deodorize and keep it smelling fresh.

Recipe created and contributed by Mangala Madhuchand (author of this blog)