Pickled fruits
Practical Action
Processing
The pickle can be made by soaking in brine or by dry salting.
Brine
Dip the lime pieces in a saturated salt solution (dissolve the salt in 1 litre of boiled water – you
will need to heat the water to enable the salt to dissolve. Let the salt solution cool to room
temperature before adding the limes). Stand in the salt solution for 20 to 30 minutes.
Dry salted
Pack the limes and salt in layers (1kg salt per 5kg limes). Ensure that the surface is covered with
juice. Leave to stand for 24 hours so that the brine forms. It may be necessary to hold the fruits
down under the brine.
Dry the lime pieces in the sun for 2-3 days. Sometimes salt crystals are sprinkled on the lime
while drying. Continue drying until the skin becomes brown and the pieces are soft and
breakable.
Roast the fenugreek seeds until they start to splutter. Grind all the seeds to a powder and add
them to the fruit. Fill the pickle into pots or glass jars and seal.
Store in a cool place away from the sunlight. With the fermented product store for one month to
allow fermentation to take place. Check the jars periodically during the fermentation period to
make sure they do not explode (release the caps to allow the fermentation gases to escape).
Packaging and storage
Lime pickle can be packed in small polythene bags and sealed or in clean jars and capped.
Lime pickle keeps well if stored in a cool place. Due to the high acid level of the final product,
the risk of food poisoning is low.
References and further reading
Traditional Foods: Processing for Profit by P. Fellows, Practical Action Publishing, 1997
Fermented Fruit and Vegetables: A Global Perspective by M. Battcock & S. Azam Ali FAO, 1998
Pickles and vinegars a selection of Practical Action Technical Briefs
Preservation of Fruit and Vegetables: Agrodok 3, Agromisa 1997
Pickles of Bangladesh S Azami & M Battcock, Practical Action Publishing, 1996
Useful organisations and contacts
Agromisa
Postbus 41
6700 AA Wageningen
Netherlands
Tel: +31 (0)317 412217
Fax: +31 (0)317 419178
E-mail: agromisa@wxs.nl
Web: http://www.agromisa.org
Agromisa is a Dutch non-profit organisation affiliated with the Agricultural University of
Wageninen in the Netherlands. Agromisa provides information and advice on small-scale
sustainable agriculture and related topics in order to support and strengthen self-reliance of the
rural populations in the South.
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