Narthangai Oorugai/Citron Pickle is a healthy and tasty pickle....an accompaniment to the all time favorite "Thayir Sadham " in any Tamil Brahmin home...
Here is a sure fire,time-tested recipe for Narthangai Oorugai....
INGREDIENTS
- FIRM CITRONS- 6-8
- GINGELLY OIL- 1-2 CUPS
- TURMERIC POWDER -1 TEASPOON
- CHILLY POWDER - 3 -4 TEASPOONS
- MUSTARD SEED-1 TEASPOON
- FENUGREEK SEEDS -1 1/2 TEASPOON
- ASAFOETIDA POWDER -1 TEASPOON
- SALT TO TASTE - APPROXIMATELY 3/4 CUP
METHOD
- Wash and dry the citrons.
- Chop the citrons into small pieces.
- (Make sure you use a shallow bowl to hold the chopped citrons and the juice of the citrons.)
- Put the chopped citrons and the juice of the citrons in a clean and sterile glass or ceramic bowl with a lid.
- Now ,add 80% of the salt to the citrons .
- Mix well with a clean spoon/spatula.
- Keep the bowl covered .
- Preferably, leave the bowl in direct or indirect sunlight for a week.
- Stir it once or more every day for a few hours at least ,for a week.
- (Make sure you use a clean and dry spoon/spatula to stir it.)
- After 7 days,the salt and the juice of the Narthangai mixes well and become a thick fluid that coats the cut Narthangai.
- The chopped bits would have softened a bit.
- Now,heat the oil in a broad,heavy bottomed kadai/pan.
- When the oil is hot enough,splutter the mustard seeds and fenugreek .
- (Alternately you can add dry roasted and powdered fenugreek too while cooking)
- Add the Citron salt mix to the pan.
- Now add the turmeric and chilly powder.
- Cook well while stirring constantly.
- Cook till it evaporate and leaves the sides of the pan.
- Now,add the remaining salt to taste.
- Add the asafoetida powder .
- Remove from heat.
- Store in sterile bottles.
- Keeps good for a year.
It tastes divine with good old curd rice,idlis,dosas and upma too.
