Playing Bollywood

A few weeks back, before my Mad Men obsession kicked in full tilt for this season (ahem...is it getting hot in here??)...As I was saying, a few weeks ago my kind & generous friend Nancy, who lives in warmer climes than Portland, OR, gifted me with beautiful Meyer lemons & limes. The lemons went into Pink Slip Jam's Meyer Lemon & Vanilla Bean Jam, 2 different batches of preserved lemon, an indispensable Mediterranean condiment ~ 1 with cinnamon sticks & bay leaves, the other with chiles & bay, and finally some lemon curd. It was a happy coincidence that my chickens & ducks began laying again as I used the ducks' eggs for the lemon curd. Positively unctuous! Creamy, rich, moderately sinful...My favorite way to use lemon curd (besides eating spoonfuls) is to slather it on crepes & stack them up like a cake, chill, then slice & serve with a dollop of creme fraiche. It's not Bikini Season yet.

The limes, on the other hand, received a singular treatment. I know some of you may be thinking 'Mojito', but you would be mistaken. Remember, I am not originally from the Northwest! I am not a fan of chilly Spring. In my mind I am forever dashing off to tropical climes (I invite Don Draper yet he has not RSVP'd yet...). So, in keeping with my fantasy life, I decided to make an Indian lime pickle. This involved fermenting lime wedges & salt for a number of weeks, followed by a bath of spices ~ fenugreek, turmeric, chile, mustard seeds, and then letting the whole shebang marinate for awhile. Today the finishing touches were applied: I hunted down the illusive ingredient I had been missing: Mustard Seed Oil! This is easy-peasy in Berkeley, where I'm from ~ lots of Indian markets. Not so simple a task here! If you live in Portland & do not want to make a trek out to the Hinterlands (where it is decidedly NOT tropical), check out the Halal market on NE Glisan. The gentleman working there is from Afghanistan, helpful & friendly as can be, and they sell so many enticing spices & just writing about this kind of, sort of makes me think I'm on a pretend adventure in an exotic locale...

The lime pickle is a really traditional side for curries, rice, lentils, dhal...really any dish you'd like to add some heat to. I cannot wait to make a batch of coconut rice, some dhal, and tune in to Mad Men this week. It's not Bollywood, but it works for me!

How I Spent My Spring Break

Recently a friend sent me an enormous box of beautiful limes grown in her own yard. These are extra special since citrus fruit is not something we see in the Northwest, other than in the stores. I thought for a long time about making some lime marmalade, yet I really wanted to make something different. I considered making a small batch of lime simple syrup for future Summer cocktail use, yet that didn't inspire me tremendously. It's March, I did not go away for 'Spring Break' since my college days are long past, and I am craving sun. I am so desirous of sunny climes with blue skies that I am driven to distraction. This is not whining, Folks. This is the reality of living in the Pacific Northwest. Keep this in mind next time the New York Times does yet another article on the food scene in Portland and you think to yourselves...'If only we lived in Portland...'.
 With this obsession in mind, I present you with my solution on how to best use a beautiful cache of limes while creating a sense of reverie for the Indian subcontinent. Pretend you are in India, minus the cobras, poverty, and tropical illnesses. Visualize mangoes, jasmine, brilliant pink & orange saris, and eat some of this lime pickle with coconut rice, or dal, or some fabulous curry. It is the perfect antidote while we await El Sol. It also keeps really well so that later you can indulge in a picnic with samosas in the park! Meanwhile, I'll be doing sun salutations in yoga class...

Hot Lime Pickle

25 limes, cut into wedges
1 cup salt
1/4 cup fenugreek powder
1/4 cup mustard powder
3/4 cup chile powder
1 Tablespoon ground turmeric
2 1/2 cups mustard oil
1 teaspoon asafoetida
1 oz. yellow mustard seeds, crushed

1. Place limes in a large sterilized jar or glass bowl. Add the salt & toss with the limes. Cover & leave in a warm place for 1~2 weeks, until limes become soft & dull brown in color.

2. Mix the fenugreek, mustard & chile powders & turmeric. Add to the limes. Cover & leave to rest in a warm place for a further 2~3 days.

3. Heat the oil & asafoetida, along with the mustard seeds until they begin to pop, & then turn off the heat. Bring the seasoned oil to room temperature & add to the lime mixture. Mix well, & then serve with rice, dal, curry or use as a condiment in anything you'd like!