I am so thrilled to be writing this recipe because this is literally a farm-to-table kind of dish! Well, here’s the short story…
About 5 years ago, I saw a Meyer lemon sapling in our local nursery. It wasn’t cheap (for its size), but the temptation was too much. What does a gardener do when on the horns of a plant dilemma? Well, she gives into temptation, shells out the cash and brings the plant home. And that’s what I did.
The plant did well – very well, I must say. It grew tall and robust and gave out the most fragrant blooms. BUT no fruit. Every spring and summer, the tree would bloom, filling the air with its heady perfume. The flowers would subsequently wither and fall, leaving no fruit behind. When winter came, I dragged the pot indoors, hoping for a better new spring. This happened year over year, causing quite a bit of frustration. After some research, I realized that the flowers that the Meyer lemon plant was putting out, were all male. Male flowers bloom first in most fruiting plants, followed by female flowers. Watch this video I made to identify male and female zucchini flowers.
The solution – invite more bees and other pollinators into my backyard. To this end, I move an Indian Lime plant that I owned (check out our Indian Lime Pickle recipe) next to the Meyer lemon pot. Then waited for magic to unfold.
Patience – one of the Greatest Virtues!
No one knows the art of patience more than a gardener, I feel. After 5 years of nurturing, talking to the plant – yes more common than you think, to talk to pets and plants – this year, I noticed female flowers on the Meyer lemon tree!! With bated breath, I waited for weeks for the tiny fruit protrusions to show up after the petals withered away. Slowly but surely, the fruit started to grow. They were green in color for many weeks – until they reached their full size. It was after that, they started turning into the golden yellow that they are well-known for. The color of summer, of bright sunflowers, of the microscopic pollen on bees.
When they were ready to be picked, of course, the first thing I decided to use my Meyer lemons for was to make this wonderful pickle, so I could preserve it for as long as possible. 🙂
Meyer Lemon
Meyer Lemon Ginger Pickle
This is one of the easiest pickles to make. Also, one of the healthiest, since it is not doused in oil and salt. Yes, salt is needed as a preservative, but you just need the barest minimum, unlike store-bought pickles. Homemade pickles have just a handful of pure ingredients – and that’s the beauty of making things by yourself.
Meyer Lemon-Ginger Pickle Ingredients
If you don’t grow Meyer lemons, you can still make this out of store-bought lemons. They will be equally good, I bet. I get asked the difference between Meyer lemons and regular lemons. I have to turn to the all-knowing internet for the answer. It says, Meyer lemons are “sweeter than a standard lemon with a hint of orange flavor. In fact, it is 1.3 times less acidic than Eureka or Lisbon varieties. It is darker in color, the rind holding more of an orange hue than its bright yellow counterpart.” I can definitely say their skin/peel are much tender, and their piths are significantly less bitter when compared to green limes. Mine were SO juicy that it was completely unnecessary for me to have added the juice of a lemon. But I’ve suggested it in my recipe in case your lemons are not as fresh and oozing with juice as mine were.
Meyer lemons are part of the citrus fruit family, and like their brethren, they are also super-loaded with vitamin C, folate, and phytonutrients called flavanones, which have antioxidant and anticancer properties. Ginger and turmeric powder are anti-inflammatory foods and contribute to one’s overall pain reduction and inflammation. Green chilis and other herbs used in this recipe have fiber and several essential minerals.
Pickle Recipes
The art of fermentation is a wonderful world. Food preservation is as old as our human civilization. If you decide to explore it, I suggest that you read my friend Gagan’s article Preserving an Ancient Wisdom: Fermentation. Here are a few easy pickle recipes that you can make at home:
- Dosavakaya: Raw Yellow Cucumber Pickle
- Indian Lime Pickle
- Spicy Raw Carrot Pickle (Gajar ka Achar)
- Tart Spicy Pickled Cauliflower
- Pickled Chili Peppers
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Meyer Lemon-Ginger Pickle
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 Cups Meyer Lemon - 8 Meyer lemons; Save one for juicing if your lemons are not very juicy
- 1/4 Cup Ginger - Peeled
- 1/4 Cup Green Chili Pepper - Use the milder varieties
- 1 Teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- 1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper - Freshly ground
- 3 Teaspoon Himalayan Pink Salt - As a preservative
- 2 Teaspoon Olive Oil
- 1 Teaspoon Mustard Seeds
Instructions
- Wash Meyer lemons, ginger and green chili. Dry them thoroughly. Important Note: Throughout the pickle making process, make sure your hands are clean and completely dry as is your knife, cutting board, bowl and storing jar. This step is super important since you don't want moisture creating mold in your pickle.
- Cut the lemons in half, remove the seeds. Quarter all but 1 of them into 2-inch pieces. Even larger or smaller pieces is fine, based on your preference. Add to a large steel mixing bowl. Juice the remaining lemon and set aside.
- Dice ginger and green chili to desired size and add to the bowl.
- Add turmeric powder, freshly ground black pepper and Himalayan pink salt to the bowl.
- Add the Meyer lemon juice to the bowl.
- Heat oil in a small kadai (thick-bottomed dish). Once the oil is hot, add mustard seeds and allow them to splutter. Turn off the heat.
- Add the mustard seed tempering to the bowl and mix everything thoroughly using a dry spoon or ladle.
- Transfer the pickle to an air-tight, dry glass container. Leave it on the countertop for about 3 days. Mix with a dry spoon daily to make sure the lemon and ginger pieces are fully marinated in the lemon juice-brine mix. The Meyer lemon and ginger pieces will start to soften.
- You can store this pickle in the fridge for several weeks. Always make sure you use a dry spoon to serve yourself.
