I was introduced to the idea of preserved lemons through a Moroccan recipe with whole preserved lemons. Preserved lemons are routinely used in India but as pickles – never cooked over heat directly.

My first attempt ended in failure, I used chilies and lemons and salt and had a horrid fungal growth within a week . For my next attempt I used whole lemons with salt as instructed without chilies and I kept off the fungus for a full 5 weeks.

My 3rd attempt (I am persistent) I went the Indian pickle route- I sliced the lemons into eights and I added turmeric with the salt. It worked, the preserved lemons stayed good for months. I now sometimes add whole spices, all-spice berries and peppercorns and dried red chilies etc to different batches and I refrigerate my preserved lemons.

I use these lemons in dals ( wonderful in dal-fry) and pastas. They are particularly good in cold pasta and couscous salads.

Meyer lemons work better than regular lemons. Limes work even better, the picture below is of preserved limes.

Recipe:

4-5 lemons or limes- preferably organic- washed and dried – they need to be dry, very very dry

salt

dry spices- peppercorns, all-spice, cloves, etc etc

slice lemons, add one layer to a clean dry bottle, top with salt and some spices

Did I mention that the bottle and lemons have to be dry.

Add more lemons, add more salt till all the lemons are used up.

Lots of salt.

Refrigerate , turn the bottle upside down every day for the first 2 weeks or so.

They will be ready to use in 3-4 weeks.