How to make Lunu Dehi – Preserved Lime

Lunu Dehi is an age-old Lankan practice of preserving limes well before the days of the fridge. It is also a palette time bomb that can awaken the sense with just a dash of it! Cutting across our social and cultural fabric this side dish can be found in almost in any home within our country – if at all one unifying sidekick for all!

Let’s jump right in as to how this can be made…be aware, it needs a bit of preparation and patience as there is a waiting time of over 10 days!

Prep Time: 15 Days
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Asian, Sri Lankan, Vegan, Vegetarian
Servings: 12 people

Ingredients
• Limes – 16
• Powdered salt
• Turmeric powder – 2 Tsp
• Crushed chilies – 2 Tsp
• Fenugreek – 1 tbsp
• Black Pepper powder – 2tsp
• Spicy Red Pepper Powder – 2tsp
• Sugar – 1 Tsp
• White vinegar
• 3 quarts’ water
o Optional Additions to make it spicier and sparky
♣ 6 white peppercorns, crushed
♣ 4 whole cloves, crushed
♣ 4 pods cardamom, crushed

Instructions
1. Clean and quarter 5 or 6 limes or more according to the jar you are using.
2. Cover the Limes with as much salt as you can and then put them in a clean and dry glass jar. Cover the
bottle and set aside for a day.
3. Uncover and place the bottle in direct sunlight during the day-time. Cover the bottle in the
night and store in cool, dry place. Repeat the process for around 7 to 10 days.
4. After 7 or 10 days, squeeze the juice of 10 limes (or you can use your discretion). Add the turmeric powder, crushed fenugreek seeds and crushed chilies to the juice.
5. Pour the juice mixed with the spices into the jar of sun-dried limes. The juice needs to cover the limes in the bottle. So if the need be, squeeze more lime juice into the bottle.
6. Repeat the covering and uncovering process under sunlight for another 5 days.
7. At the end of around 15 days, the lime pickle is ready to be eaten.
8. The salted limes are dried when the skins become light brown. The longer the drying time, the better.
9. Gently remove the excess salt from the dried limes. Quarter them. Place the cut limes in a large glass
jar.
10. Add ground mild pepper, ground kochchi miris (pepper), white peppercorns and sugar. Add cloves and cardamom
(optional).
11. Pour vinegar into the jar until all the limes are submerged. Shake the jar lightly until all the ingredients
are well mixed.
12. Close the jar tightly and place it in a cool, dry place for several weeks. The more it matures, the better.