Indian Lime Pickle

5 from 36 votes

If you are a fan of pickled foods, you will love this spicy Indian lime pickle or nimbu achaar. It is spicy, salty and aromatic and it and tastes amazing with a simple Indian meal of dal and rice. Plus, it couldn't be easier to make, especially when you have the hot summer sun playing sous chef.

Prep Time15

Cook Time5

Fermenting period5

Total Time5 20

Course: Condiment

Cuisine: Indian

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Keyword: Indian lime pickle, nimbu achaar, spicy, Summer

Servings: servings (approx)

Calories: 42kcal

Author: Vaishali · Holy Cow Vegan

Cost: $4.40 per batch/$0.09 per serving

Equipment

Glass bowl
Small skillet
A sterilized, quart-sized mason jar

Ingredients

8 medium-large limes (make sure the skins are thin. Wash and dry the limes thoroughly. Quarter or cut them into ½-inch pieces.)
2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds or methi seeds
2 teaspoon nigella seeds (kalonji)
1 tablespoon fennel seeds (saunf)
2 (heaping) tbsp cayenne (or paprika or Kashmiri chili powder)
1 tablespoon turmeric
1 teaspoon asafetida or hing (hing)
½ cup salt (I use Himalayan pink salt but any finely ground salt is fine. Don't use less because you need the salt as a preservative for the pickles)
1 cup avocado oil or any neutral oil (use an oil with a high smoke point)
2 tablespoon mustard seeds

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add the fenugreek, fennel and nigella seeds to the skillet and toast until very fragrant, 3-5 minutes. Remove to a bowl, let them cool, then add asafetida and powder everything together in a spice grinder or blender.
Place the limes in a clean, dry glass or ceramic bowl. Add the ground spices in step 1 along with the paprika or cayenne, turmeric, asafetida and salt. Mix well with a clean, dry spoon.
Heat the oil in the same skillet you used to toast the spices. Once it's hot, add the mustard seeds. Wait until they begin to sputter, then turn off the heat.
Carefully, standing back to avoid any sputter, pour the hot oil into the bowl with the limes and spices. Mix thoroughly, then transfer to the sterilized mason jar.
Place the mason jar in the hot, full sun on your deck, porch or stoop for 5-7 days, for at least 6-8 hours each day. Turn the mason jar upside down and around each day to ensure the sauce and spices move around the jar.
Once the pickle is ready, refrigerate immediately.

Notes

Gluten-free guidance: Pure asafetida is gluten-free but most commercial powdered asafetida contains wheat flour as an anti-caking agent. If you are gluten-free shop for brands that are gluten-free certified, or skip this ingredient.

Nutrition