Cheru naranga Achar special recipes for Onam or Vishu Sadya
Cheru naranga Achar Lemon/ Lime pickle special recipes for Onam Sadya or Vishu Sadya.
Ingredients:-
Cheru naranga / Yellow Lemon – 10 ( the grocery store here has lemon double the size of it back home)
Salt – to taste + a pinch of sugar
Gingelly oil / Nallenna / Sesame oil – 2 table spoon + 2 table spoon
Mustard seeds – 1.5 tea spoon
Fenugreek seeds – 1 tea spoon
Garlic julienned – 10 cloves ( you can add more if you love the bite of it in your pickle)
Ginger julienned – a small piece
Green chilly – 2-3 sliced
Curry Leaves – a handful
Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
Red chili powder – 2 table spoon ( use as per your spice level , 2 tbsp is really spicy)
Kaayam ( asafoetida) – 1/4 tea spoon
Vinegar – 2 tea spoon
Salt to taste
Method:-
Clean , wash and pat dry the lemons . Steam in an appachembu or steamer for 5-8 minutes.( see notes at the end of the post)
Let it cool and wipe it well with a kitchen towel and cut into 8 pieces.( if lemon is small make 4 pieces).Take an air tight glass jar and add lemon and a table spoon of salt and a pinch of sugar and mix well.
Keep it for a couple of days minimum 3 days upto a week. Some times i keep for 2 weeks On the day you are making the pickle , take it out and drain the water and salt. and this helps to reduce the sour taste. Heat 2 table spoons of gingelly oil/ nallenna in a pan and add mustard seeds. When they pop up add fenugreek seeds and fry for 30 seconds.
Add garlic, ginger, green chilly and curry leaves and saute for a couple of minutes and add turmeric powder. Add chili powder , and mix well. Add 1/4 cup of water and bring to boil. Simmer for 5 minutes or till the water is reduced or it is thick. Add asafoetida ( kaayam) and fenugreek powder (if using) and mix well.
Remove from fire and let it cool. Add Lemon pieces , salt to taste and vinegar mix well. My mom and grandma usually leave it in the pan for 4-6 hours , but you can omit this step if you want.
Transfer that to a glass jar and add 2 table spoon of gingelly oil. make sure the glass jar has a tight lid. Serve with Kanji, Rice Onam Sadya or Vishu Sadya even I like it with chapati …
