
How to make
Narthangai Pickle is a tangy and flavorful condiment made from Narthangai (bitter orange). To prepare, start by washing and drying the fruits. Then, cut four of them into small pieces. Reserve one for juice extraction. Combine the cut pieces with salt in a ceramic jar, adding the freshly squeezed juice from the reserved fruit. Shake the jar daily for 3-4 days to allow the flavors to meld and the pieces to soften slightly.
Once the Narthangai is soft, mix in red chili powder and turmeric. Toast and grind fenugreek seeds, then heat oil in a pan, adding mustard seeds and asafoetida until fragrant. Pour this seasoned oil over the pickle, add the fenugreek powder, and mix well. Transfer to a clean jar for storage. Enjoy the pickle for up to a month at room temperature. It can last longer if refrigerated. Always use dry utensils for serving.
Good stuff. will definately follow.
Mam,
After cutting the citron into pieces should we keep it in sunlight. I used a kalchatti and covered it with a thin piece of cloth and after 3 days fungus was formed. Should we always use a ceramic jar for better results?
You can use kalchatti also. However, it should be washed thoroughly and wiped clean without any water content. Also you have to add enough salt and juice so that the narthangai pieces will get soaked well. If you want to keep it for more days, you can keep it under sun with cloth tied up. Otherwise, it is fine to keep it inside. Reason for forming fungus may be due to water content in the vessel or on the Narthangai.
Thank you mam. I tried this once again (before this post ) and after seasoning the citron pieces I immediately stored it in a glass jar and it is fine now.
Nice to hear it turned out fine now.
Looks good…
would you know the recipe for Narthangai Lehyam Its given when there is a loss of appetite ‘coz of a dull liver, upset stomach.It is made with narthangai juice, jaggery & some powdered jeera & some other ingredients too. is added. Mom used to make this & it used to be awesome. Its almost blackish – very very dark brown in colour. Really sorry i didnt take the recipe from her
I do not have the recipe right now. I will try to get it and try to make the recipe and post it shortly.
i prepared narthangai pickle-in boiling water put the narthangai -put of the stove (without cutting)covered for 10 minutes when skin colour changed removed it pat dried without water on it, then cut into small pieces, then in a kadai add oil, mustad Currey leaves then the cut pieces, chilly powder, fenugrek powder, salt and while packing some vinegar in a tight glass jar, shaking everyday 2 weeks passed it is soft and fine but bitter. how do i remove the bitterness.
Hi,
There are different types of Narthangai, some with bitterness called “Kasappu Narthangai” and some with orange flavour called “Kolanchi Narthangai”. If you use the bitter variety, you cannot remove the bitterness completely.
Thank you for the response, i hope what i used might be kasappu narthankai, but though i cannot remove the bitterness completely, can i try some method?
If you want to use the pickle already made, you can add other vegetables like mango/carrot/beetroot along with lemon juice or vineger.
Wow… Am just mad on Narthangai dry pickle. Now got a interest to try this too … Its awesome to see. Looking so goood… Yummy Narthangai….
Hi Kamala,
I was searching for Nartangai pickle and found your blog by chance.
All the recipes are so tempting and Nartangai pickle is mouth watering. I remember my neighbour sun drying Nartangai during my childhood days.
Thank you so much. Keep up the good job.
Thank you for visiting our site and for your kind comments.
Point No. 8 speaks about refrigeration. In my experience, I have seen pickle kept inside glass bottles, if refrigerated, turn moist inside [condensation] and, after a while, lose the aroma and start giving off an unacceptable smell … If further unused for more than 15 days, fungus will start forming. To avoid this, pickle should be stored in plastic containers only, [Also DO NOT place metal spoons inside the container] while being kept in Refrigerator. I have kept Vadu Mangais, Narthanga, lemon pickles, etc. in plastic containers and they last and last, till you finish them eventually. But you have to take special care to use only absolutely dry spoons. No wet hands or wet spoons for taking pickle out of the container too… !
Thank you Ganesh for your valuable information on storing. Hope it will benefit the readers.
But keeping pickles in platic container is not advicable .plastics are highly carcinogenic the acids present in citrs fruits can react with plastic.
great accurate thanks