We tend to think of preserved lemons as being a Moroccan thing, but they're also an important part of cooking throughout North Africa, as well as Indian cuisine. Jars of preserved lemons make an excellent home-made gift, as well as being a great thing to have in your own pantry.
How to make preserved lemons
Is your lemon tree full to the brim?
- 30 mins cooking
- Serves 10
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Ingredients
Preserved lemons
- 8 medium lemons
- 1 1/2 cup (450g) rock salt
- 5 fresh bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
- 1 cup (250ml) lemon juice
Method
Preserved lemons
- 1Halve lemons lengthways; carefully cut each lemon half in half again, without cutting all the way through. Open lemon halves out slightly.
- 2Squeeze lemons over a large non-metallic bowl to catch the juice. Add lemons to bowl with salt, bay leaves and seeds, mix well.
- 3Pack lemon mixture into 1.5-litre (6-cup) sterilised jar, then pour enough of the juice into the jar to cover lemons. Place a sealed small plastic bag filled with water on top of the lemons to keep them submerged; seal jar. Label and date jar.
Notes
Store preserved lemons in a cool, dark place for at least three weeks before using. Refrigerate after opening. To use, remove and discard pulp, squeeze juice from rind, rinse rind well, then slice according to recipe. Cinnamon sticks or chillies can be added to jar before sealing.
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