Narthangai Oorugai / Citron Pickle

Narthangai or Citron or Bitter oranges are known for their health benefits and the dried citrons or narthangai are one of the most commonly used ingredient during postpartum. This pickle is prepared from the dried narthangai swirls or uppu narthangai as we say in Tamil. 

For the alphabet N, I didn’t have any second thoughts. I wanted to post this recipe for sure. M and Amma was suggestion couple more but I stayed with this one. Narthangai belongs to the citrus family and the dried swirls are known for their health benefits. If we are sick, either down with flu or cold or cough, Amma used to serve rasam rice with this dried Narthangai which is also know as Uppu Narthangai. Uppu Narthangai aids in digestion, removes the bitterness in tongue during fever. It also used for treating nausea, vomiting. 

During my first trimester, I always had uppu narthangai in my bag. And during postpartum Uppu Narthangai and Nendram chips were my sides for all the meals. Even though there were veggies, I loved my rasam rice with narthangai and nendram chips. I always have a stock of uppu narthangai at home even now. This pickle is prepared from the uppu narthangai or dried narthangai. So before getting into the recipe, let me share how to prepare uppu narthangai. Between I bought these from India. Amma used to prepare them in summer if she gets narthangai or store bought ones are good too.

Dried Narthangai / Uppu Narthangai:

Wash the citron and chop them into two halves. You can use the juice for preparing rice similar to lemon rice or you can sun dry it along with the pulp. Chop them in circles and soak them in salt water for couple of days. Then drain them and sundry it for couple of days until they are dried and store them in air tight container.

Now coming back to the recipe, this pickle is super simple. Soak the dried narthangai in hot water and temper it. Boom you are done!!! When you can’t find citron, and if you have dried ones at home this comes in handy.

Ingredients:

• Dried Narthangai / Uppu Narthangai – 2 swirls (When chopped approximately 1 cup)
• Hot Water – 1 cup
• Oil – 3 tbsps
• Methi Powder – 1 tsp
• Red chili powder – 3 tsps
• Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
• Hing – 1 tsp
• (No salt required as dried narthangai I used was over loaded with salt)

Steps:

• Soak the dried narthangai in hot water for about 8 hrs or till they become tender.

• Discard the water (it will be too salty) and chop them into bite sized pieces.

• Heat the tempering pan or kadai and add oil.
• Once the oil is hot, add mustard seeds. 
• As they start to splutter, reduce the heat to low and then add methi powder, hing and red chili powder.
• Fry for a minute. Make sure you don’t burn them. 
• Add this to the chopped narthangai and mix well.

Let it site overnight for all the oil and red chili powder to incorporate. That’s it. A perfect side for curd rice.

Notes:

• When you are adding the dry powder, reduce the heat to low and add them. Make sure the powders don’t get burned. 
• Do not use plastic for storing the narthangai especially when pouring the oil mixture as it plastic tends to melt and the taste would be different. Glass ware or regular stainless steel is preferable.
• As dried narthangai are very salt, I discarded the water and didn’t add any salt. But this depends upon the dried narthangai.
• Adjust the salt and spices accordingly.

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Narthangai Oorugai / Citron Pickle

Pickle prepared with dried citron or uppu narthangai. All we need to do is soak and temper.

Course: sides

Cuisine: South Indian

Keyword: Narthangai Oorugai

Servings: 4

Author: Srividhya G

Ingredients

• Dried Narthangai / Uppu Narthangai – 2 swirls When chopped approximately 1 cup
• Hot Water – 1 cup
• Oil – 3 tbsps
• Methi Powder – 1 tsp
• Red chili powder – 3 tsps
• Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
• Hing – 1 tsp
• No salt required as dried narthangai I used was over loaded with salt

Instructions

1. Soak the dried narthangai in hot water for about 8 hrs or till they become tender.
2. Discard the water (it will be too salty) and chop them into bite sized pieces.
3. Heat the tempering pan or kadai and add oil.
4. Once the oil is hot, add mustard seeds.
5. As they start to splutter, reduce the heat to low and then add methi powder, hing and red chili powder.
6. Fry for a minute. Make sure you don’t burn them.
7. Add this to the chopped narthangai and mix well.
8. Let it site overnight for all the oil and red chili powder to incorporate. That’s it. A perfect side for curd rice.

Recipe Notes

When you are adding the dry powder, reduce the heat to low and add them. Make sure the powders don’t get burned.
Do not use plastic for storing the narthangai especially when pouring the oil mixture as it plastic tends to melt and the taste would be different. Glass ware or regular stainless steel is preferable.
As dried narthangai are very salt, I discarded the water and didn’t add any salt. But this depends upon the dried narthangai.
Adjust the salt and spices accordingly.

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