Salted Lime Pickle

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As threatened here is the basic Salted Lime Pickle recipie,, its so easy its not funny, a very old basic way of preserving limes which canbe used in soups and curries. This is the way its been handed down to me.

Though its really simple, its a bugger to get salt levels right so ive done piccies for what works for me. Also this is a long term recipie, it wont be ready for months.

Ingredients
1: Limes ( number is really up to how many you have/bottles
2: Salt
3: The Sun!

STEPS
1: wash Limes and get rid of its stalk join, they pop out with your nail
2: Dry thoroughly!
3: Starting at the bottom cut each lime into quarters almost to the stem... do not seperate! (see piccie)
4: Open slit and stuff lime with salt ( see piccie for amount of salt... follow this as too much or not enough salt doesnt work.. )
5ut into a steralised jar... NOT METAL LIDS!!!!!!
6: Add juice of some limes ( amount depends on your jar, but i always do 3-4 limes for jars.. see piccies. this lime juice will become jelly like over time.. amazing.
7: Cover tightly and place in Sun.. these are cured by the Sun so dont be afraid. if this isnt possible do it on the Kitchen sill in sunlight,, no problems. You need to turn them over upside down every day or so. Make sure your lids are tight or they will pop off
8: After 2-3 weeks wack them in a dark cupboard and leave them for months, we are talking 6-12 months.

Pickling Notes
1: your pickling so steralise the jars, glass is best, avoid metal lids as it gets ugly.. the plastic ones ive tried have been working well. Ive been using Moconna Coffee jars with success but the lids arent great for in the sun and do pop off, but ok if your careful.
2: Cutting the limes, used to do the quarter limes without cutting through but lately haven't and have just quartered them as per piccies as find it fills jars better, the pic shows amount of salt,, cant emphasize enough dont go overboard with the salt, I find if I salt it initially then continue to gently salt it over the next few days your ok, you have gone to far if salt doesnt dissolve.


Its really easy, just be careful about steralised jars, and the amount of salt.. its cooked in the Sun.. have fun

Mike

photos show process

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Next lot of photos show final result, the last photo shows the age differences, these pickles rock after 6 - 12 months , also they are in a cupboard, not the fridge,, in one of the photos see the age differences, from today to 2 years,, they get darker and darker, better and better!

You can see pickles done today to 2 years ago; never been in a fridge either!

cheers
Mike

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Recipies with this lime pickle; Its not a hot one at all, its salty and sweet once aged, so its great as a pickle with curry or soup but also it its preserved so here are some uses:

1: SALTED LIME SAMBAL:
Cut Limes into pieces and mix with chopped shallots and 2-3 chopped chillies, you have a sambal for curries

2: CHILLI LIME PICKLE:
Salt limes, sun as above but then then after 5 days you whack in a bunch of curry ingredients, basically, tumeric, cumin, mustard seeds chilli powder.. but i dont really like this as tends to drop the shelf life a bit this way..

3: PISH PASH.. THE ULTIMTE CHICKEN SOUP ( Ultimate Family Chook Soup for a cold day) I do this every week, simple easy and the best

1: Big pot, chuck in chopped celery, chunk of ginger, chopped onion ( x2) and 12 whole peppercorns, boil
2: Chuck in chook and simmer away, also chuck in some salted lime pickle ( like a qtr lime) ADD salt to taste
3: For a fancy soup, take out chook and peel/strip flesh and put back in,, if not your like me, i dont bother, bones are easy to deal with.
4: About 15 mins before end chuck in a cup of rice,,, thats it, great if you have a cold

When you eat it, lime pickle is the go!

cheers
Mike


next post... chilli lime pickle with pics




cheers
mike

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LIME PICKLE VERSION NO 2

Variation of the the salted Lime Pickles, this time with chilli and ginger.

You will need
1: 10 Limes
2: 10 green chillis, cut in half ( leaving stalk on is optional)
3: 3 tablespoons of chopped ginger
4: A couple of bayleaves
5: 3-4 limes for juice

Method:
Cut limes into quarters but not all the way through, pack with Salt. Arrange a layer of limes in jar. Add a layer of chillies and tablespoon of ginger. Crumble a bayleaf and sprinkle some more salt over layer. Then keep repeating the process until jar is full. Then add the juice of 3-4 limes.

Put jar in sunny place for 5 days and then window sill for 5 days. Add a sprinkle of salt in the first few days but dont overdo it. Store in a dark place after that. Again this takes a while to mature, a couple of months at least.

cheers
Mike

[fish-n-dive]

Hey Aigutso,

Does it matter what kind of salt is used ie; rock, sea, iodised, cooking etc?

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With the salt, Ive been using the Saxa table salt in the large containers for years and it works fine. I tried the rock salt once and cocked up how much salt to use. I know rock or cooking salt is fine as well as rellies use it.

Anyway I had a big afternoon doing the pickles ( as didnt get out in the boat) so heres the next version, this time cooked; Not a hand me down recipie this time but one ive been doing for a while

PS dont forget to have a beer while doing it

VERSION THREE: CHILLI LIMES

You will need
1: 8 limes ( Quartered, then each qtr sliced into 3 pieces)
2: 8 green chillies ( chopped into 1cm pieces)
3: 8 red chillies ( chopped into 1cm pieces)
4: 2 tbs Mustard Seeds
5: 1 tbs Cumin Seeds
6: 2 tsp Fennel seeds ( or powder)
7: 2 tsp Fenugruk Seeds or powder
8: 1 tsp chilli powder
9: 1/2 cup Mustard Oil if you have it, if not Vegetable Oil
10: 1/2 cup vinegar ( white is good, if not apple)
11: 1 stick cinnamon
12: 1 tbs chopped ginger
13: 6 garlic cloves chopped
14: 2 tbs sesame oil

Method:
Deseed the chillies if you like, I dont. In a dry pan roast all the spices, dont burn and remove. Then in pan with the oils fry garlic and ginger until golden, chuck all ingredients in, the limes, chillies, spices and vinegar, bring to a boil, then simmer for 10-15 minutes. Remove cinnamon stick and cool and bottle.

This doesnt need to be placed in the sun.

Here are the piccies;
Cheers
mike