Puthenpura Lime Pickle - Almost Instant Lime Pickle

 Puthenpura is the family name of the group of neighbours in my youth.  All of them, brothers and sisters, children and grandchildren, built their houses in the acreage and we were pretty much the outsiders who bought into the block of land. Our family were the only Christians  in our locality.  We were flanked by a Muslim family on the right and all the rest of them were devout Hindus.

In the big block of land that was known as Puthenpura the brothers and sisters had made pathways and small lanes to go to each others houses. There was a small piece of open area in the front of the group of pathways.  This is where the women of the houses congregated without fail everyday after the daily chores were done. 

This was the "Communication Centre" of our neighbourhood. We became part of the Puthenpura family soon after we moved in and we shared our joys and sorrows - and our recipes. We used to go over for Onam meals and Hindu festivals and in turn, we would send them home made cakes and cookies at Christmas.  Beautiful tradition that I miss here!  This recipe was shared by one of the ladies before I migrated to Australia to help me make all the items in a sadya.  I miss them all so much.

Ingredients:

6 medium, ripe (yellow skin) limes

12 chillies - slit; green or red it doesn't matter. I have used red chillies from Summer that I had frozen

You can reduce the number of chillies or leave them whole if you do not want your pickle to be hot.

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 teaspoon salt 

1/2 teaspoon asafoetida powder

1 stalk curry leaves

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 inch piece of fresh turmeric, peeled and sliced finely 

(The turmeric is purely optional, I used it as I found it in the vegetable shop and was attracted to it. Make sure you wear food grade gloves when you peel it and chop it as it stains everything.)

Method:

Wash and dry the limes. Put them in a steamer and steam them for 5 to 6 minutes. The skin colour should still remain yellow.

Cut each lime into 6 or 8 slices. 

Put it in a bowl with the salt, turmeric powder, curry leaves, chillies and turmeric slices.

In a wok, heat oil.  Add mustard seeds.  When it begins to crackle, add the asafoetida and then put all the ingredients in your bowl into the wok.  

Reduce heat and stir well.

Let the mix boil for 5 to 6 minutes, till all the colours, powders and salt are incorporated into the lime.

Turn the flame off and let it cool.  When it is cold, transfer to a sterile and completely dry glass jar.

Use after 3 - 4 days after the flavours have mellowed.  This pickle doesn't keep for long and so you have to refrigerate it and use it within 10 days or so.