Healthy delicacy from the Far East. Place salted lemons yourself

Salt citrons inlaid: healthy delicacy from Morocco
(aid) - In the Orient, salt lemons are a traditional ingredient because they have an intense aroma and a high shelf life. Many dishes of Moroccan cuisine are flavored with the fruits - such as sauces to poultry and fish, olive mixes, couscous and tagines. Additional salting is then no longer necessary.
In the delicatessen, ready-picked fruits are available. Much better tastes the Moroccan delicacy, however, homemade. The most important ingredients are as small as possible, untreated lemons with a thin shell. They are thoroughly brushed off with hot water and soaked in cold water for 24 hours. Using a sharp knife, cut the fruits lengthwise several times without severing them completely. Add half a teaspoon of coarse sea salt to each cut and squeeze again. Now the lemons are layered in a tall glass.

Moroccan specialty: salted lemons. Image: Pixelot - fotolia

It is important to exert pressure and to leave no space between the lemons, so that also some juice escapes. Depending on the taste, other spices such as cinnamon sticks, bay leaves, peppercorns, cloves or chili peppers are added. Now the juice of two lemons is poured over the fruit and filled to the brim with boiling water. Then seal the glass airtight and leave to stand for four to eight weeks at room temperature in a dark and dry place. The glass is occasionally moved so that the salt dissolves completely.

After this time, the lemons are usually slightly brownish discolored, and the pulp has a syrupy consistency. Everything is usable and the imagination knows no bounds. Even the lemon water is suitable for seasoning salad dressings and other foods. Pickled salted lemons are stable in the fridge for up to one year. (Heike Kreutz, aid)