Spicy Lemon Pickle

Total Time: 42 mins Preparation Time: 12 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• 2 medium lemons, each cut into 16 wedges
• 1 cup water
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 2 tablespoons ground red pepper (cayenne, or to taste)
• 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds or 1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon asafetida powder (aka hing or heeng, or you can use garlic powder)
• 1/2 teaspoon roasted fenugreek seeds, ground (see note at recipe's end)

Recipe

• 1 heat lemon wedges, water and salt to boiling in 2-quart saucepan; reduce heat. simmer uncovered 12-15 minutes or until lemons are tender and water has almost evaporated; remove from heat. stir in ground red pepper.
• 2 heat oil and mustard seeds in 6-inch skillet over medium-high heat. once seed begins to pop, cover skillet and wait until popping stops. add hot oil mixture and remaining ingredients to lemons; mix well.
• 3 cool pickle 20-30 minutes. tightly cover and store in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
• 4 dry-roasting fenugreek seeds: heat heavy 6-inch skillet over medium heat about 2 minutes. (hold hand, palm down, about 4 inches above bottom of skillet. it should feel warm.) add seeds to skillet and cook 30-60 seconds, stirring constantly, until seeds turn reddish brown and have an almost nutty, slightly bitter aroma. if grinding seeds, which you are in this recipe, let cool 1 to 2 minutes, then grind in a spice grinder or with a mortar and pestle.