Lemon Pickle recipe without Oil

Lemon Pickle recipe without Oil

In every Indian household, there’s a secret ingredient that doesn’t come from a store-bought jar—it comes from the hands of our mothers and grandmothers. That ingredient? Love.

Pickles—oorugai, achaar, call it what you will—are not just condiments; they are memories bottled in spice and time. In our South Indian home, no meal ever feels complete without a dollop of fiery pickle beside a soft mound of thayir sadam (curd rice). It’s comfort on a plate.

While I grew up loving the traditional avakkai and vadu mangai pickles made masterfully by my MIL, it’s the lesser-loved lemon pickle that recently stole my heart—all thanks to a recipe whispered down generations, from my grandmother’s kitchen.

This pickle is unlike any other: no oil, no fancy spices, just lemon, salt, sugar, and love. Before you raise your eyebrows at the sugar, trust me—it’s not a sweet pickle. The sugar simply softens the sourness, creating a beautifully balanced taste that pairs perfectly with hot rice or even as a zingy sandwich spread!

What makes it even more special is the ritual behind it—washing and sun-drying lemons, stirring the pickle with a dry spoon each day, watching it mature patiently over a month, and tasting it only when it's fully ready. It’s like watching time slow down in a bottle.

I’m sharing this recipe not just as a method—but as a memory. And as I watch my daughter take a bite of curd rice with this lemon pickle, her eyes widening with that familiar zing, I smile. Because just like that, another generation falls in love with a tradition wrapped in citrus and care.

💛 Grandma’s Oil-Free Lemon Pickle Recipe

Ingredients:

  1. 15 medium Indian lemons
  2. 1/3 + 1/8 cup Red Chilli Powder
  3. 1/3 + 1/8 cup Salt
  4. 1/3 + 1/8 cup Sugar
  5. 1 tbsp Fenugreek Seeds
  6. ½ tsp Asafoetida (Hing)

Instructions:

  • Wash and completely dry the lemons. Cut 12 into quarters (or eighths). Juice the remaining 3 lemons.
  • Place cut lemons in a wide glass bowl. Add chilli powder, salt, sugar, and lemon juice. Mix well.
  • Dry roast fenugreek seeds until they pop. Set aside. Lightly heat asafoetida for a few seconds.
  • Powder the fenugreek seeds with a mortar and pestle. Add it and the asafoetida to the lemon mix.
  • Stir and cover the bowl. Let it sit for 10 days, stirring once a day with a clean, dry spoon.
  • After 10 days, transfer the pickle to a clean, sterilized glass jar.
  • Let it rest for a month in a cool, dry place before digging in.

🌞 Pro Tips:

  1. Choose thin-skinned, firm, bright yellow lemons.
  2. Never use wet spoons—it shortens the pickle’s life.
  3. Store in a sun-dried, sterilized glass jar.

This lemon pickle isn’t just a side dish—it’s a story, a feeling, a tradition. Try it. Bottle it. Pass it on. 🍋✨

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