Using Lemon in Bengali & Indian Cooking Explained

This is an oval shaped fruit which is best known for its citrus formula and tanginess. It has a heavy yellow texture which is also used in various dishes and even rubbing hands.

The fresh flavor of lemon is having a fresh mild flavor, a mildly tart, savory dish and in juices it adds a sweetness too.

The lemon zest is always used and cherished in many dishes. It is used in cooking, cleaning agents and even in many beautifying tips.

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Uses of Lemon in Bengali & Indian Cooking

“Lebu Lanka” is one of the traditional authentic combinations which stays in almost every occasion starting from worshipping to cooking. Bengali is having an emotion with lemon.

Be it a “Panti Lebu”, “Batabi Lebu”, “Gondoraj” or even “Kagoji”. We refer to lemons with these varieties and other than these “mosambi” or sweet lemons.

Lemon or lebu is the basic ingredient as salt in cooking. You can start with various items and recipes and juices that contain lemon.

A small wedge of lemon in the plate for garnishing or a little bit of lemon juice in marination works wonders. In fact, salads need lemons like oxygen for humans.

You can simply use the lemon for washing the fruits and vegetables as it is a discoloring agent. It is used in a way so that if there is any external agent used then it can be easily washed.

You can even tenderize the meat with the lemons and it even very nicely. It is a nice substitute for vinegar. If you add lemon juice when the vegetables offer good colors, they become bright and shiny.

Lemon extracts are being used in the beauty products too which removes the dark spots. In fact, it is also used as cleaning and washing agents.

There are many other uses and recipes which you can see that:

Lemon Zest:

This is a unique concept which is made from the peels of the lemon. The lemon peel can be grated and even it can be peeled off from where we can grind it.

Lemon Juice:

Lemon juice is made with a juice extraction citrus press or juicers which are served with a little bit of salt and sugar if you insist. It is a refreshing agent in summer times. You can also make lemonade and other cocktails with it.

Gondhoraj Lebu Chicken:

This is a process where marination is much more than ever. Here you need yoghurt, green chili paste, ginger juice, onion juice, Gondhoraj lebu lemon juice with little salt.

Keep it in the freezer for 20 to 30 mins. Then in a pan add oil and add garlic and peppercorns. Sauté till it is brown.

Then add the chicken along with the remaining yogurt, green chilies, black pepper powder and ginger juliennes. Adjust the taste as per you need. If you want you can add a little bit of honey.

Batabi Lebu Makha:

This is a very unique fruit recipe where you need to cut the lemon known as Batabi Lebu Makha or Pomelo Salad. Here you need a few drops of mustard oil, crushed black pepper, sugar, cilantro, green chilis and Pomelo/ Batabi Lebu/ Jambura.

Gondhoraj Lebu Masoor Dal with Amada:

Here the masoor dal is soaked and boiled with salt and turmeric. Kept aside. Then minced amada, Gondhoraj Lebu are cut and kept as a preparation.

Then take some oil in the pan and add the panch foron and the minced amada with green chilis and add the dal and stir it perfectly. Then add the lime juice of gondhoraj lebu along with roasted radhuni powder.

Bengali Style Shrimp with Lime Leaves:

You need to cook the shrimps with potatoes and tomatoes, sliced onions and garlic paste with some of the usual spices. Cook it very nicely and add the lime leaves to have the flavor.

Lemon Tea:

You need a good brand of tea, water, lemon and sugar or honey. You need to make a good brew and then add sugar and lemon juice.

Lemon Cake With Gondhoraj Lebu:

The whole cake preparation is exactly the same as baking a cake with wheat flour, eggs, butter and for flavor you are using Gondhoraj Lebu zest. If you wish then you can also add the lemon zest all over the cake.

Lebu Pata Die Daal:

You need to take masoor dal according to the requirement then wash it very well. Pressure cooks the dal with a little bit of salt and turmeric.

Then in the pan add some Nigella seeds and cumin seeds and green chilis. Then add chopped lemon leaves and stir fry it.

Sindhi Tidali Dal:

Three types of dal with a little bit of salt and turmeric with onion and tomatoes. You cook the dal and at the end you give some lemon juice which is a game changer.

Kerala Naranga Lemon Pickle:

Here you need to cut the lemons in the pieces and then sauté in the pan with a little bit of sesame oil. Now keep it in a separate pan and message the turmeric and salt well.

In a separate pan add some mustard seeds, curry leaves, green chilies and ginger. Then in a separate jar add a few spoons of oil and sugar. Then add the lemons along with the tempering of mustard seeds, curry leaves, green chilies and ginger.

Lemon Curry:

You soak tamarind in water, then cut some lemon pieces and green chilis. Boil the lemon with chilli powder, turmeric powder and tamarind water. Add jaggery in the boiling mixture. You can add methi seeds by heating it separately. Temper with mustard leaves.

Lemon Rice:

This is done with a pre-cooked rice with a tempering of curry leaves, ginger, chilis, chana dal, mustard seeds, along with peanut herbs and lentils. To give it a fine thrill, freshly cut lemon juice is added.

Lemon Pickle:

Take some lemons and cut it, but don’t cut it full but like slits. Then in a separate plate mix some spices like salt, cayenne pepper, red chili powder, carom seeds. Mix it well and then add it to the lemons.

Then pour it in a clean jar where you add some oil and then add the extra masala and keep it under the sun for at least 7 days. Taste it after 7 seven days.

South Indian Lemon Pickle:

This is a south Indian recipe and you heat the lemons and sauté it for sometimes. Add some salt and chili powder into it. Add some spices like turmeric, asafetida and fenugreek.

Take it off when it is clean and at the end put it in a clean jar. Keep it aside for 15 days and then it becomes softer and it is wonderful in taste.

Other than this you can simply have lemon juice enhance the food, make hard boiled eggs, make the lettuce crispy, etc.