Maybe you’ve gone on a diving trip to Sharm el Sheik. Or maybe you are one of the tourists who sit with the Bedouins at a housha for weeks at a time enjoying the slow life close on the Red Sea close to Nuweiba. I’ve been to Sinai about 10 times and when I go to a hotel there is one thing that makes me very happy at the breakfast, lunch and dinner buffet: preserved lemons.
The lemons in Egypt are small, not much bigger than a walnut, and when preserved upgrade their status by a mile. You can eat them with hummous and tehina on bread, or take a little bite with every savory dish you fancy. Sometimes I just eat them whole, picking the seeds out with my teeth. We have a recipe for preserved lemons already on Green Prophet but this one is a bit different. You cut the lemons differently, keeping them whole.
In the video below I walk you through the set by step process. Get yourself some Egyptian lemons and you can do it with me step by step.
Fermented lemons are a treat when you are traveling to Egypt. Stay at a hotel in Sinai and enjoy the fermented Egyptians lemon offered at most meals. It’s a staple pickle when you travel to Sinai or Egypt. We’ve even found them in Jordan.
This recipe works with any kind of lemon, but if you can get your hands on walnut-sized lemons from Egypt, even better. If you are using other lemons cut them so the width is no bigger than a centimeter or half an inch.
The smaller you cut them the better the flavor as they will ferment better. Add salt. We added about 5 tablespoons to 4 cups/ one liter of water. You can add garlic. Better to place it on the bottom as if it floats to the surface it will go moldy.
Add some weights to keep the lemons from floating.
Leave for about 5 to 10 days according to your taste. Do not tighten the lid or it might explode.
Eat alone with bread or add to sauces and soups and any dish you can imagine. Preserved lemon is a wonderful spice that adds a layer of flavor to anything savory. It will bring you back to your driving trip at Sharm el Sheikh in no time.
Fermented Egyptian Preserved Lemons
An easy way to bring the taste of Egypt into your home.
- Jar with a lid
- Weights
- 4 cups Egyptian lemons (You can use regular lemons as well, don't worry. Try to find organic as you will be eating the peels)
- 5 tbsp kosher salt (It's also known as pickling salt)
- 10 cloves fresh garlic (You can skip this if you like but garlic makes everything better)
- 4 cups water
-
Soak the lemons for a few hours
-
Cut each small Egyptian lemon in a cross going only 1/2 way or 2/3 of the way through. You can keep the seeds in
-
Remove peel from garlic, slice in half
-
Add garlic and lemons to the jar throwing in a spoon of salt as you go up. Make sure it's only lemons on the top. You don't want the garlic floating to the top.
-
Fill to the top with water
-
Add weight on top so nothing floats above the water
-
Add lid or plate on top. But don't screw down the lid or the jar can explode
-
Watch for 4 to 10 days as the lemons ferment. End fermentation by bringing to the fridge. Taste and end when the lemons are tangy and not too bitter.
-
Transfer to smaller jars and share with friends
How do you cook with fermented lemons?
The flavor of lemon and salt is very intense. Rinse the piece before cooking with it. The best part is the peel – some cooks scoop the pulp out and discard it.
Consider these ideas for pickled lemons:
- Chop a little piece fine and mash it into a vinaigrette dressing.
- Gently mix a few fine slices into steamed broccoli; drizzle some olive oil over everything.
- Add a teaspoon of chopped preserved lemon to pea soup.
- Put a little bowl of those bright yellow lemon quarters on the table to accompany lamb chops.
- Prepare a fillet of fish with a drizzle of olive oil, some chopped basil or green onion, and a few thin slices of preserved lemon. Bake or pan-fry.
More Middle East recipes:
A Classic Recipe for Muhamarra Red Pepper Spread From Aleppo, Syria
Taking On A Middle East Classic: Baba Ganoush
Cooking the Classic Middle East Kibbeh
