Nimbu ka Achar | Nimbu ka Khatta Meetha Achar
This sweet-sour (khatta meetha) nimbu achar is prepared with lemons, jaggery and spice powders. This achar does not need to be kept in the sunlight. All you need is to make the achar and keep in glass jar for few days. Making this pickle is easy and does not take a lot of time unlike other traditionally prepared Indian pickles.
This vegan pickle comes from my mom. She is very good at making pickles and every summer making pickles is like a yearly ritual for her.
This is the case with many families in India. Summers are the best time to make pickles as you get abundant sunlight to prepare the pickle. I have already shared another easy variation of Lemon pickle.
I had made this pickle before monsoons had begun and the post was lying in drafts. So thought of sharing this recipe today. I never buy pickles from outside. I always make pickles at home or get them gifted from families, friends and relatives.
Some Pickle recipes already posted on the blog are:
This pickle has a burst of different flavors and tastes. The tang coming from the lemons, sweetness coming from the jaggery and the heat & spiciness coming from the spices.
Pickles go well with dal-rice, theplas, parathas and also sambar-rice. No Indian meal is complete without a spoonful of pickle in the plate.
Serve nimbu ka achar with rotis or aloo parathas or palak paratha or methi paratha or plain parathas or any paratha of your choice. This achar stays good for about 2 months in the fridge.
You can also serve this achar as a condiment in your lunch boxes with a side of any Indian flatbread or a meal.
How to make Nimbu ka Achar
1. Keep all the ingredients ready for making the achar.
2. First rinse the lemons in fresh water and then wipe them very well with a clean kitchen towel or cloth.
The lemons shouldn’t have any trace of moisture in them. So ensure that you dry them completely.
3. Chop the lemons into bite-sized pieces.
4. Heat a pan. Lower the heat and then add 1 cup of jaggery in it.
5. After a minute, the grated jaggery will start melting.
6. Keep stirring the mixture.
7. Add the following ingredients:
- 1.5 teaspoons red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon roasted cumin powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ¼ teaspoon asafoetida (hing)
- 2 teaspoons sugar
8. Also add 3 teaspoons of salt.
9. Stir and mix. Keep stirring the mixture on low heat.
10. Then add a teaspoon of oil. The addition of oil gives a nice glaze to the achar. I have used sunflower oil. Though you can also use peanut oil or sesame oil.
11. Stir the mixture for a minute or until it begins to bubble. Switch off the gas.
12. Add the chopped lemons into the hot mixture.
13. Stir and mix very well.
14. The mixture should nicely coat the lemons.
15. Remove the lemon mixture into another bowl or pan. Allow to cool.
16. At room temperature transfer the pickle into a sterilized glass bottle. Cover the jar tightly with a lid and allow the pickle to rest in the jar for 2 to 3 days. You can even keep for 4 to 5 days.
After 3 to 4 days the lemons would leave moisture and blend well with spices and jaggery mixture. If you want then you can also keep the pickle in the sun for 2 days. When the pickle is ready, then refrigerate.
To sterilize the glass jar – In a large saucepan heat water, till it reaches its boiling point, meaning it has begun to boil. immerse the jar and its metallic lid in the hot water. continue to boil water along with the jar for 8 to 10 minutes.
Remove the jar with the help of clean tongs and place the jar inverted on a thick towel kept on the kitchen tabletop. let the jar dry naturally.
Serve Nimbu ka meetha achar with aloo paratha, rotis or onion paratha or vegetable paratha. This achar would stay good for about 2 months in the fridge.
You can also pack this achar with plain paratha or jeera paratha in tiffin box.
Step by Step Photo Guide Above
Ingredients
- 500 grams of lemon or 10 big sized lemons
- 1 cup jaggery, grated
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1.5 teaspoon Red Chili Powder
- 1 teaspoon Coriander Powder (ground coriander)
- ½ teaspoon Roasted Cumin Powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder (ground turmeric)
- ¼ teaspoon asafoetida (hing)
- 3 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon oil
Instructions
chopping lemons
- Keep all the ingredients ready.
- Rinse the lemons and wipe them with a cloth. The lemons shouldn’t have any trace of moisture in them.
- Chop the lemons into bite sized pieces.
making nimbu ka achar
- Heat a pan. Lower the flame and then add 1 cup of jaggery in it.
- After a minute, the jaggery powder will start melting. Keep stirring the mixture.
- Then add 1.5 teaspoon red chili powder, 1 teaspoon coriander powder, 1/2 teaspoon roasted cumin powder, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1/4 teaspoon hing and 2 teaspoons sugar & 3 teaspoons of salt.
- Keep stirring the mixture on low heat. Then add a teaspoon of oil.
- Stir the mixture for a minute or until it begins to bubble. Switch off the flame.
- Add the chopped lemons into the hot mixture. Stir and mix very well.
- The mixture should nicely coat the lemons.
- Remove the lemon mixture into another vessel or bowl. Allow to cool.
- At room temperature transfer the pickle into a sterilized bottle. Cover tightly with a lid and allow the pickle to rest in the jar for 2 to 3 days. You can even keep for 4 to 5 days.
- After 3 to 4 days the lemons would leave moisture and blend well with the spices and jaggery mixture. If you want then you can also keep the pickle in the sun for 2 days. When the pickle is ready, then refrigerate.
- Serve nimbu ka achar with aloo parathas, rotis or onion paratha. This achaar would stay good for about 2 months in the fridge.
Notes
- In a large sauce pan heat water, till it reaches its boiling point, meaning it has begun to boil.
- Immerse the jar and its metallic lid in the hot water.
- Continue to boil water along with the jar for 8 to 10 minutes.
- Remove the jar with the help of clean tongs and place the jar inverted on a thick towel kept on the kitchen tabletop.
- Let the jar dry naturally.
Nutrition
This Nimbu ka Achar post from the blog archives first published in June 2016 has been updated and republished on December 2022.
Nimbu ka achar, my fav.
Thank you for great recipes.
Are the jars supposed to be kept in fridge or room temperature for the initial 4-5 days?
Welcome. They are kept at room temperature for 2 to 3 days after which you can refrigerate the pickle.
My jaggery turned rock solid but I heated it along with lemons.Now juice has been extracted out of lemons and the mixture has turned bitter. Any fixes please suggest as I don’t want to waste home grown organic lemons gifted to me
Looks like the jaggery mixture has got overcooked and thus the solid texture. Let the pickle rest for some days (about a week) and the bitterness will mellow slightly. Another option is to add about ½ to 1 tablespoon of white vinegar and mix thoroughly. Hope this helps.
Hi Thankyou for your recipes, they have never failed me.
But the moment i put the cut lemons in the hot jaggery mixture the jaggery got rock solid. It has not coated the lemons. I have transferred the mixture somehow into a glass jar. Will keep it in the sun and watch what happens. Its cold here in Shimla but this is the season when we get the best lemons. Thin skinned and juicy.
thanks archana. looks like the jaggery syrup has got cooked too much and hence it became solid. if the sun does not help, then take the pickle in a pan. add some water (a few tablespoons) and cook this mixture till all the jaggery melts. stir all the time so that the jaggery melts quickly. then let the mixture cool down and then place in a jar.
Very good recipe and with photos too! Great job, and thanks for putting them up. My children born and brought up in the US are also using your recipes.
Welcome Roochi. Glad to know this. Thanks for sharing your positive feedback and appreciation.