This Lemon Pickle Recipe is the easiest and tastiest ever. It has been passed down in my family from my grandmother. Curd rice and a spoonful of this Tamilnadu style lemon pickle will take you to the gates of heaven.

Pickles are an indispensable part of an Indian everyday diet. We have pickle with upma, curd rice, dal rice, kootu and sometimes even with rasam. The very thought of any pickle makes my mouth water. If it’s a great one, I dream of it day and night. Every family has its own unique way of making various pickles and the ones passed down in the family are always special.

A little background on this Lemon Pickle Recipe

This lemon pickle recipe was curated by my grandmother to reduce the waiting game. She had three daughters and all of them were huge fans of pickles, after all. Her recipe yields the same beloved lemon pickle without all the long drying and marinating processes. It will be ready to be consumed in as little as 3-5 days. Isn’t that a great bargain for eating homemade pickles every day?

Having eaten homemade pickles all my life, it was a rude shock when I moved out of home and started buying store-bought pickles. The preservative laden ones didn’t quite make the cut and didn’t taste good at all. In my attempt to find the best ones in the market, I’ve tried all possible brands available with no luck. I learned this lemon pickle recipe from Amma when she stayed with me post my delivery. All my problems were solved! I’ve been making this pickle regularly for the past 3 years and can safely say it’s a tried and tested recipe. Also, it’s a no-onion, no-garlic recipe.

This Lemon Pickle Recipe

Tastes amazing
Takes about 15 minutes of your time
Is preservative-free
Is free of garlic
Can be made according to one’s spice preference
Has been passed down in my family

Check our other South Indian traditional recipes from my blog

Ingredients for Lemon Pickle Recipe

Lemon

If you’re in the US, you can use the normal lemons sold in the market, preferably the ones with thinner skin. If you’re in India, make sure you get pickle lemons or the ones with thin skin to ensure that it doesn’t taste bitter.

Salt

Salt is the key ingredient in marinating the lemon and curing it. Traditionally rock salt is used for making pickles. You can use the table salt if you don’t have rock salt.

Turmeric powder

Any turmeric powder will work for this recipe. Just make sure they are good quality.

Sesame oil

Sesame oil also called as gingelly oil is used in most of the South Indian pickles. I highly recommend not replacing it with any other oil to preserve the authentic taste.

Fenugreek seeds

Fenugreek seeds, also called Methi seeds or Venthayam add a wonderful flavor to the pickle. The bitterness from fenugreek seeds cut through the sourness and balances the taste well.

Asafoetida

Asafoetida or Hing/Perungaayam is another flavor agent that also aids in digestion. Use a good quality asafoetida.

Red chili powder

Use the normal red chili powder to pack in enough hotness. If you use Kashmiri red chili powder, you’ll get the vibrant color but it won’t be spicy at all.

Lemon Pickle Recipe – Step by Step

Cut the lemon

Wash the lemons and dry them completely. This step is important as moisture can encourage mold growth. Dry them with a towel and let them rest for an hour till they are completely dry

Cut the lemon into bite sized pieces (Again, ensure that your cutting board and knife are clean and dry). I like mine small but it’s entirely up to you. I know some prefer big pieces and that’s totally okay too. You don’t have to discard the seeds while chopping them but feel free to throw them away if you’re not a fan of seeds ruining your sensory experience of eating pickle.

Marinate the lemon pieces

Add the cut lemon pieces to a bowl. Keep in mind that the bowl is dry and clean. It’s very important to take precautions like this to make sure your pickle stays good for a long time. Next, add 3 teaspoons of salt and ½ teaspoon of turmeric powder. Mix well with a clean spoon.

Transfer the contents to a clean and sanitized glass jar. Glass is best for storing pickle as it doesn’t leach chemicals and keeps it fresh for longer periods. Metal can rust if you add pickle and make the pickle taste a little odd. You could use ceramic or porcelain jars too.

Close the jar with the lid and shake it well. Let it rest at room temperature for at least 3-5 days. Also, make sure it’s stored in an environment that’s not too humid.

Everyday, take the jar and shake it for a minute or two and set it away. Just set a reminder and do it while you listen to music or talk with your loved ones.

You’ll know that it’s marinated well when the lemon is tender and salty.

Temper the lemon pickle

After it’s been marinated well, it’s time to add the spices and flavorings to it. This is when the fun begins.

Heat a pan and add fenugreek seeds to it. Roast it for 3-4 minutes till it turns slightly reddish brown. Set aside to grind. As the quantity is very less, I usually use my mortar and pestle to grind it. If you want to grind it in a mixie, grind it in bulk and store the rest. However, freshly ground powder tastes the best.

In the same pan add sesame oil. Once the oil is hot, add mustard seeds and let it crackle. After that, turn off heat and let the mustard seeds crackle completely and add asafoetida. Stir well.

Add red chili powder and stir it in immediately. While doing it, add the marinated lemon pieces. Now, the reason why we turn off heat is to ensure that the red chili powder does not burn. I’ve burned it a couple of times and trust me, it’s not a very pleasant taste. So take my word on it and exercise caution in this step. Simultaneously, mix it well.

Final stages of tempering the lemon pickle

Add more salt if required and mix well. Keep cooking on low heat for about 3-4 minutes. We just want the excess moisture to evaporate. Keep stirring every now and then adding more oil if required. Also, add more red chili powder if you want it spicier.

By now, you should see some oil separating from the top. Add the ground fenugreek seeds powder and mix well. Finally, turn off heat and let it cool down completely.

Once the pickle cools down completely, transfer it to a clean and sanitized jar. Next, add more oil to ensure that the pickle is submerged in a pool of oil on the top. Doing so will act as a shield against mold and fungal growth.

Keep it at room temperature for up to a week and refrigerate it if you want to store it for longer periods.

Finally, serve it with a delicious bowl of curd rice. It will taste like ‘devamirtham’ (elixir).

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What can I eat lemon pickle with?

Here are some of our family favorites to have lemon pickle with

Curd rice/ Yoghurt rice
Dal rice
Rasam rice
Kootu
Dosa
Idli
Upma

How to extend the shelf life of lemon pickle?

To extend the shelf life of this lemon pickle, add a layer of oil to the top of the glass jar containing the pickle. Make sure the pickle is submerged in a layer of oil all the time
To further extend the shelf life, use a clean and dry spoon to take the pickle out each time
Also, don’t leave the spoon inside the glass jar
Also, if the weather is very hot and humid, promptly refrigerate it.

How to store the lemon pickle?

This pickle will stay good for a couple of months at room temperature if you follow the above method of using excess oil to store it.
If however you choose not to add excess oil, you can refrigerate it for up to 6 months.