A Pickle that Whistles!

 Does idea of a nice tangy pickle cheer you up?? Then this will be just right for you. I know pickles are a very summery thing.. but hey summer brings you joy anyway :-) How about bringing some joy to your life in a dull winter time :-) I got up today to a very dull gray day.. speaking to my parents back in India cheered me up a lot and as me and my mother spoke.. I remembered the awesome lemon pickle she makes just in no time.. she learnt it from her elder sister, so its like a family recipe.. we like to call it 16 Whistle Pickle :-) All this means is it takes 16 whistles in a pressure cooker to cook the lemons. This is a quick and easy pickle does not taking for ever to pickle. You can eat it straight out of the pan or preserve for later, which only taste heavenly. I have tweaked it a little. I know my mother will not approve it, but trust me this tastes as good :-)

Here are little steps to ultimate joy:
Takes about 30 mins from cutting the lemons to pickling them.
Shopping list: The recipe I am writing today fits well for making about 100 gms of pickle. You can use the same proportions for more number of lemons.

1. A large Lemon or 2 medium limes.
2. 1 cup sugar
3. Table spoon of vegetable oil
4. 1 tea spoon of cumin powder
5. 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
6. 1 tea spoon of salt
7. a good pinch of turmeric powder
8. Chili powder to taste.
9. a good pinch of asafoetida
10. A teaspoon of fennel seeds.

Get going:

1. Cut the lemon in nice chunks, preferably same size so they cook evenly.
2. Pour some water in the pressure cooker.
3. In a deep vessel, just to make sure the water does not seep in.
4. Place the lemon pieces in the vessel, do not pour any water in the vessel, just the lemon. While the lemon is getting cooked it releases its juice.
5. Cover the vessel with a lid put some weight on, so that the water does not seep in.
6. Close the lid of the pressure cooker and wait until it blows out 16 whistles.
7. Do not let it whistle for less or more.. don't ask me why.. it just works that way :-)
8. Once the whistles are over take the pressure cooker off the heat. and let the lemons cool down a little.
9. Add a cup of sugar when the lemons are lukewarm and let it sit for sometime.
10. While that's sitting.
11. Put a pan on medium heat and add oil. Let the oil heat up nicely then add mustard seeds and fennel seeds. Turn down the heat to minimum once the mustard and fennel seeds stop sputtering.
12. Add cumin powder, asafoetida, salt, turmeric and chili powder. Turn off the heat, else the turmeric and chili powder might burn.
13. Mix this with the lemon and sugar sitting in another bowl.
14. Give all of it a nice mix and transfer everything to a nice air tight container.
15. Pickle is ready! You can eat it at this stage or preserve it and eat it late when the lemon softens in all the spices an juices...

Hope your palate squeaks with joy :-)