Memories in a Bharnee pickle jar

Bharnee/ Bharani Ceramic jar

The other day I took out our bharnee ( Ceramic jar) to do some watercolor studies. It has been with us since before I was born. My parents have always made this super- delicious, super -simple Konkani lemon pickle in it called 'Limbiya kanchee'. As children, me and my sister were often sick with the flu - liquid gold, if you know what I mean :D and our mealtimes were made of hot rice gruel and kanchee or rice and milk and kanchee.Amma used to feed us both, while we sat cross-legged on the floor, waiting our turn, nose dripping, sneezing, coughing.( Speaking of coughing, amma used to give us juice from a grated onion mixed with honey as a decongestant - I remember it used to work well)

I still believe that it was because of the pickle that we recovered faster. Some rice gruel ( pej) and Lemon Kanchee and you are ready to conquer the world! I think most Konkani people remember this pickle from their childhood days.

This is one of the few non-masala pickles in India. It is made by slicing up lime into small quarters, and adding salt, preferably crystal salt. I think it is left to its own devices for about 3- 4 weeks. The older, the better, just like wine, as long as it is stored right. My dad is something of a pickle maniac, he heats the spoon over the flame to sterilize it. I suggest the same before putting a spoon in the pickle :)

I remember this one time, when we had let it pickle for too long and the salt had crystallized the lemon really well. It was a lot of fun to eat. Best way to eat the pickle if you ask me.

We store our pickles in these Ceramic jars called Bharnee/ Bharani traditionally and cover it with a muslin cloth to let it pickle. I like the bharnee - I find its design very elegant. I also like it because it represents something of the old way of thinking - of preserving out of season vegetables for a rainy day. Well, it has certainly livened up my rainy days! Limbiya Kanchee, anyone?