Published: November 30, 2015 Last Modified: November 4, 2019 Freda Dias

Lemon Pickle Recipe (Goan Style)

This Indian style preserved lemons simply known as lemon pickle | lime pickle is tart, a little spicy and sweet. It is a perfect accompaniment to simple meals like rice and dal (lentil curry).

Lemon or lime pickle is one of my favorite pickles along with the Gujarati sweet mango chundo pickle. Along with adding flavor to a meal, Indian pickles also aid in digestion. They differ to a great extent from the Western counterparts! It is more than just saturating veggies in brine/vinegar.

Pickling in India is a laborious process, from drying the veggies under sunlight, to the preparation, storing and then it’s maturation. It involves the use of complex spices, all of which add to the tingling flavor of the pickle.

In today’s recipe, there is no drying in the sunlight involved. It is rather just cooked and preserved. This is my Mum in law’s recipe that has been tried and tested over the years. It is super simple to make.

I am more biased towards sweet and sour pickles as opposed to the spicy ones, just my preference! This lemon pickle is just that, sweet and sour with a subtle heat that is not very overpowering. If you like a spicy lemon pickle, increase the chilli powder.

Table of Contents

How to make lemon pickle | lime pickle?

Wash and dry the lemons or limes well. Cut into quarters, remove the seeds and transfer to a bowl. It is important to remove the seeds, this helps in reducing the bitterness in a lemon pickle. This needs to be left for a day.

The next day, you need to prepare a simple tempering of mustard seeds, ginger, garlic and curry leaves.

Next add red chilli powder, vinegar, sugar, salt, and the lemon pieces. Let it cook until the peel softens. That’s pretty much it about this lemon pickle recipe.

You can use limes in place of lemons to make this pickle too.

Nothing beats homemade pickles. It is flavor packed and free of artificial preservatives. Do give this easy lemon pickle recipe a try!!

Step by step instructions to make lemon pickle recipe

1.Rinse the limes/lemons well with water, pat dry completely with a clean kitchen napkin. Cut into quarters, or smaller pieces, remove the seeds. Sprinkle some salt, mix it well, cover and leave it at room temperature for a day.

2.Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan, add mustard seeds, once they splutter add curry leaves.

3.Next, add chopped ginger, garlic, saute until fragrant.

4.Add red chilli powder, vinegar, sugar, salt to taste. Mix it well.

5.Add the chopped lemon pieces, mix it well. Let it cook on medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes, or until the lemon peel is tender. Check for seasonings, balance it out with more vinegar/ sugar if required. Switch off the heat. Let it cool to room temperature. Transfer into a clean and a sterilized glass jar. Store it in a cool place, at room temperature. Let the pickle mature for at least 2-3 weeks, before consuming. The longer the better.

HOW TO MAKE GOAN STYLE LEMON PICKLE?