Lemon Atchar

Try this method of making zesty lemon atchar.

The secret ingredient to making lemon atchar is brown sugar. You start with some good pickled lemons. The ones I used have been bathing in salt, sugar, lemon juice, fennel and peppercorns for three months.

Lemon Atchar

Su Howard

To make basic pickled lemons

Wash and scrub lemons, cut a thin slice off the stem end of each lemon. Then, with the cut-side facing up, cut each lemon into four pieces lengthwise – not all the way through – leave 2,5 cm at the bottom of each lemon (so it opens up, like a flower).

In a sterilised glass jar, sprinkle 1 tablespoon (15 ml) pickling salt (or iodine-free or kosher salt). Fill each lemon with 1 tablespoon (15 ml) salt push the salt into the middle. Then place the lemon in the jar, cut-side upwards, so the salt stays in. Pack the jar tightly, so they can’t move easily. If you want to add aromatics, like I have, layer them in with the lemons.

Gently smash the lemons once they’re in the jar with a pestle or spoon. Finish with a final layer of salt and fill with lemon juice (or a mixture of lemon juice and vinegar).

Leave a bit of space in the bottle and seal and refrigerate for 6 weeks. Shake the jar every day to redistribute the salt.

For the atchar masala

I mixed red chilli flakes, Kashmiri chilli powder/smoked paprika, salt, mace, mustard seeds, split fenugreek seeds, pimento, brown sugar, a pinch of tartaric acid or citric acid for preservative.

In a large container, mix the masala into the chopped up pickled lemons and let it sit overnight.

Place into sterilised jars and top it up with warm sunflower oil in the morning.

Tip

If you don’t want to make pickled lemons and use fresh lemons instead, you have to rest the lemon atchar for at least 8 weeks to make sure that all the bitterness dissipates. Some people grate a green apple into the atchar to lessen the waiting period, but with lemon atchar you need patience and the reward will be superb. Using preserved lemon saves that waiting time and it gives you a sweeter lemon.

What to do with the leftover lemon juice

Once you’ve used the pickled lemon, keep the juice. It is a marinating dream. Mix it with a bit of melted butter and pour over a piece of snoek and pop it under a grill for 15 minutes and you will have the best grilled snoek ever.

You can also blend some of the pickled lemon pieces into dhania chutneys and chilli sauces for a different kind of kick.