Lemon Pickle

On the whole, Jamie Oliver's new TV series based around cooking meals in 30 minutes is a load of garbage. Nothing that he makes can seriously be done in 30 minutes unless you have 5 food processors lined up so you don't have to wash things in between, and you use various prepared pastes. I conform to neither of these requirements. However, one night he was making, what he called a 10 second lemon pickle. I really didn't expect anything to happen in 10 seconds, but I thought 10 minutes, including preparation time was realistic. Amazingly enough, I think I was done in about 5 minutes! Wowee!!

Lemons are the centre piece of this accompaniment, and it helps that I have a fabulous 'aunty' that brings me a supply of amazing lemons off her tree every week. She also brings me curry leaves, and in return I trade her chillies from my garden. The bartering system is well and truly alive.


Ingredients:

2 tbs olive oil
2 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 dried chilli
1 fresh chilli sliced finely
1 lemon, quartered, deseeded and then sliced

1. Heat the oil.

2. Add the mustard seeds, turmeric, fresh and dried chillies until it begins to splutter.

3. Add the lemon and toss for 10 seconds.

4. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

I love this pickle with plain rice, however it goes great as a side to a curry. The tartness of the lemon and heat of the chillies marry up wonderfully.