Lemon Pickled Lotus Root is an easy way to create an exotic Indian sour lemon pickle with lotus using a few ingredients.
Lemon Pickled Lotus Root
By Sue Lau | Palatable Pastime
Lemon Pickled Lotus Root is my recipe of the day with the blogging group Foodie Extravaganza.
We join up blogs on a monthly basis to post recipes for various food holidays. National Pickle Month is on for July so we have been pickling away.
I chose Lemon Pickled Lotus root to share, which is a type of Indian sour pickle to be served as a condiment/pickle alongside curries and other rich or spicy foods.
Foodie Extravaganza: National Pickle Month
- Haitian Pikliz by Magical Ingredients
- Homemade Pub-Style Pickled Onions by Food Lust People Love
- Lemon Pickled Lotus Root by Palatable Pastime
- Pickled Ramps by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
- Pickled Rhubarb by A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Quick Pickled Zucchini and Red Onions by Karen’s Kitchen Stories
- Stuffed Gunda / Lasoda Pickle With Mango by Sneha’s Recipe
Lemon Pickled Lotus Root
My recipe is actually a shortcut recipe using both jarred pickled lotus rootlets and preserved lemons. I suspect it is not how things are usually done, but let me explain.
Why a Quick Pickle?
Lemon pickle will start with fresh lemons and it takes 4-5 days from there. Many recipes will have other items added.
In sour pickles in Indian restaurants my husband loves finding the lotus rootlets. And I haven’t seen those fresh or I would have tried making the pickle that way. Also, I was kind of resigned that I wouldn’t be able to do it at all.
I tried buying sour pickle in the jars at markets but they were awful. Of course, we like the pickle made fresh.
Pickled Lotus Rootlets
And then I was at the market one day and saw the lotus rootlets in a jar that were pickled in simple brine. With the lemon pickles in mind, I immediately grabbed those up and figured I could continue the pickle flavors I wanted.
The lotus rootlets are incredibly tiny compared to normal sized lotus root slices. To make them like the pieces I am used to in some sour pickles, I drained those and sliced them.
Preserved Lemons
Since the lotus rootlets had a head start, I added preserved lemons to their jar so they would be ready at the same time.
The bonus is that it made the prep very easy. They are easy to slice as well.
Then mixed with oil and spices they are left to stew in their juices in the fridge for at least a week. Then the flavors are fantastic. And the pickle lasts a good long time in the fridge (months).
The oil will rise from the settled juices and separate as a vinaigrette salad dressing would. Just shake it up occasionally.
To serve, you can eat these alongside a curry, drop into soups, tuck into sandwiches or kheema pav or nibble alongside appetizers such as samosa instead of a chutney.
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Lemon Pickled Lotus Root
Lemon Pickled Lotus Root
Ingredients
- 16 ounce jar pickled lotus rootlets
- 5 preserved lemons
- 1/2 cup mustard oil
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 6-8 small dried hot red peppers (such as chiltepin, bird, or piri piri)
- 1-1/4 cups fresh lemon juice
- 4 teaspoons ground cayenne pepper
- 4 teaspoons pickling salt
- 2 teaspoons ground fenugreek
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/8 teaspoon asafoetida
Instructions
- Rinse and drain lotus rootlets and preserved lemons.
- Chop lotus into small pieces and quarter the lemons.
- Place them into a quart canning jar.
- Heat the mustard seeds and dried peppers into the mustard oil until hot and fragrant.
- Stir together the remaining ingredients with the lemon juice.
- Mix with the oil when the oil has cooled down.
- Pour the mixture over the lotus and lemons in the jar and top with a reusable lid.
- Shake to mix and refrigerate about one week.
Notes
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I don’t think I have ever had lotus root. I love pickles though so I’m sure they are wonderful.
I think I might just have a jar of lotus rootlets in my fridge still. And I always have preserved lemon! This looks like a fantastic way to use them both. Thanks for joining the party.
My first reaction was that I have never seen a lotus root that small! Then I read your post to discover they were rootlets! Very interesting! I’ll have to look for the jarred ones in my Asian market.
I have seen frozen lotus root but never came across rootlets. Would check the markets. I have tasted mixed veggie pickle with lemon and lotus root and they are delicious with stuffed flatbreads. Your pickle is so inviting that I need to check for this and try to make my own. Excellent recipe.