Narthangai Pickle/citron pickle

                                                                   Narthangai is a variety of lemon with a a thick skin and green colour. There are two types of pickles my mom used to make with this.One is the regular citron pickle with chilly powder and the other is the dried version only with salt.The dried version is more popular and is available in stores like ambika appalam etc.
My grand mom used to eat the dried narthangai daily with her curd rice in the evening.Whenever we used to fall sick or have a stomach upset we were allowed to eat only this dried narthangai with curd rice because it did not have any chilies in it and it would not do any harm to the stomach.I will post the recipe for the dried version soon......

You will Need

• Three to four Narthangai
• 4tsp Rock Salt
• 3-4 tsp Chilli powder
• 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
• 1/8 tsp Asafoetida
• 2 Tbs Gingelly Oil
• 1 tsp Mustard seeds
• 1/8 tsp Fenugreek powder

You can check out the Pulikachal recipe to make dried

fenugreek powder.

How to

1.Chop the Narthangai in to small pieces,add rock salt mix with dry spoon and keep it covered for 3-4 days.This is to make the skin of the narthangai soft.Every day two times just mix the narthangai.Keep it in a glass or ceramic bowl.

2.After 4 days the skin colour would have changed and become soft.you add chilli powder,turmeric powder and dry roasted fenugreek powder.( i always roast fenugreek seeds powder and keep to add in pickles pulikachal etc.)

3.Heat oil in a small pan crackle mustard seeds. 

 4.When the mustard seeds crackle add asafoetida and pour it over the narthangai.

5.Mix well and give few hours to settle.

Enjoy the pickle with some curd rice !!!!!!

Notes

• While you are cutting the narthangai keep it in a plate so that you collect all the juice and pour it in the pickle.
• You can reserve one half of narthangai squeeze the juice pour it in the chopped narthangai and chop the rest.
• You have to wait for few days leaving the narthangai soaked so that the skin becomes soft.
• If you think the skin is not soft enough soak it for one more day.