Lemon Curry?
August 3, 2010 11:23 AM   Subscribe

Cupboards Are Bare: So I have a plan to make a Korma curry from some leftover chicken. Fine, but I also have half a box of lemons that are going to off if I don't use them soon. How can I use them in a Korma sauce without turning it into Lemon-scented Pledge? Or use them in a side-dish? Or even What Do I Do With All These Lemons?

Low-carb ideas ideal: but I'm not super-wedded to it.
posted by The Whelk to Food & Drink (22 answers total) 11 users marked this as a favorite
 
I'm not a curry fan, so I can't help you there, but I think we all know what you're supposed to do when life gives you lemons...make lemon curd!
That's the saying, right? I mean, it must be, since lemon curd is just so darned tasty.
posted by phunniemee at 11:27 AM on August 3, 2010 [1 favorite]


Another thing you could do with all the lemons is to make preserved lemons.
posted by LadyOscar at 11:29 AM on August 3, 2010 [3 favorites]


There's only one sensible thing to do in the summertime when you find yourself with an over-abundance of lemons: skin them to make limoncello, then juice them to make cocktails (I'm a fan of gin, lemonade and fresh mint).
posted by saladin at 11:31 AM on August 3, 2010 [2 favorites]


Cut them into wedges and freeze them. Toss into the beverage of your choice later.
posted by corey flood at 11:32 AM on August 3, 2010


The "Lemon-scented Pledge" effect comes from lemon oil in the peels, which juicing by hand releases lots of (if you squeeze hard enough). I happen to like it, especially in dishes like poulet au citron, and a French 75 wouldn't be the same without it.

Whole lemons will go moldy after a while, it's true, but lemon juice will keep for a decently long time in the fridge. If you want to save the juice, you might want to peel before juicing, then cut the peels into narrow strips and either (a) infuse them in a bottle of vodka or (b) let them dry for use in potpourri or sachets later.

I like phunniemee's idea of lemon curd; another thing you can do with the whole fruit is preserve or confit them. If you do that, I'm partial to Tom Colicchio's recipe from Think Like a Chef.
posted by AkzidenzGrotesk at 11:36 AM on August 3, 2010


Make this cake, but with lemons instead of clementines. Why? Because its fucking delicious. (And, incidentally, low carb. Which in this case does not at all translate to low-cal.)
posted by Kololo at 11:44 AM on August 3, 2010 [2 favorites]


Lemonade and pickled lemons.
posted by watercarrier at 11:45 AM on August 3, 2010 [1 favorite]


I wouldn't recommend using them in the korma. Korma is full of cream and/or yogurt, and lemons + dairy = curdled dairy, ew! For future reference, though, here is an awesome chicken curry full of lemons (I usually put way more lemon than it asks for, too!)

Here are a couple quick lemon chutneys you could make to go with the korma. Lemon Rice might also go well with it.
posted by vorfeed at 11:49 AM on August 3, 2010 [2 favorites]


My favourite Indian restaurant serves what they call a 'Parsee curry', which has chicken (or lamb) with slices of lemon cooked in a sauce until they almost fall apart. The curry combines the bitterness of the lemon rind with the various spices in a way that is absolute perfection, and has quite a following among people who've tried it.

Unfortunately I don't have a recipe, but it can be done.
posted by le morte de bea arthur at 11:51 AM on August 3, 2010


I would juice them, freeze the juice in ice cube trays, toss in a plastic bag, and use whenever you need lemon juice. You'll still need to buy lemons if you need to use the peel, but this should last you a little while.
posted by teragram at 11:53 AM on August 3, 2010


I'd juice 'em, zest 'em, combine the two in a saucepan with a lot of sugar and a teeny bit of salt and make Lemonade Syrup to store in the fridge for whenever a troupe of six year-olds happens to stop by, or when it is gray and dreary.
posted by julthumbscrew at 11:59 AM on August 3, 2010 [1 favorite]


Sounds like a perfect time for lemonade!
posted by slogger at 12:00 PM on August 3, 2010 [1 favorite]


Forget using that many ageing lemons in your curry. Just make a classic korma and enjoy. As for the lemons, I'm guessing they're not Meyers but nonetheless...

1. Preserve!
2. Wait until done!
3. Moroccan! Many times over!
posted by Decani at 12:13 PM on August 3, 2010


Erk... last link busted. Try this.
posted by Decani at 12:15 PM on August 3, 2010


You know what they say: When life gives you lemons...
posted by 1000monkeys at 12:43 PM on August 3, 2010


I think you should go the preserved lemon route and divorce your lemons from your korma. But if you're really set on combining the two, why not make a lemon pickle? Something like this, but substitute lemons for the lime.
posted by mudpuppie at 12:44 PM on August 3, 2010




you can freeze lemon slices and use them in tea or ice water.
posted by thinkingwoman at 3:45 PM on August 3, 2010


Lemon curry?

Decani said what I was going to -- preserve 'em and tagine 'em.

So instead, here's the very best and most delicious lemonade concentrate you can make. It is simple, but it's so, so good.

Take the eight nicest lemons, and wash them. Zest them thoroughly (no pith please) into a gallon-sized non-metallic bowl. Pop all of the lemons three or four at a time into the microwave, and heat them for ten seconds to enhance their juice-ability, and then juice them. Pour the juice over the zest. If you have a couple of oranges lying around, zest and juice them too.

This is the part of the recipe where my grandmother would put eight cups of white sugar in, but, yeah, you could halve that. I used some stevia syrup the last time I made it, and it was dandy.

Pour eight cups boiling water over the juice, zest, and sweetener, stir thoroughly, and cool.

The best way to deal it out is to fill a reusable bottle to the 1/3 mark and top off with cold water. You can freeze it in plastic containers, and then thaw it in solution.
posted by Sallyfur at 4:53 PM on August 3, 2010 [1 favorite]


I make a very simple and very delicious lemon pickle for curry - except it takes three or more months to cure or whatever.

ten or more lemons, juiced
a cup of jaggery (brown sugar OK
half a cup salt
tablespoon chilli flakes

Slice the lemon peel into strips, then mix them with the juice, the sugar, the salt and the chilli and put into sterilised jars for three months in a warm spot.

Really nice.
posted by wilful at 10:27 PM on August 3, 2010


I've been making a lemony chickpea salad lately. It is pretty damn awesome, easy to make and I'm going to keep bringing it up until someone tries it.

I think I'll make some today.
posted by sciencegeek at 5:46 AM on August 4, 2010


Hm. Since this is still open, here's what I noted in the other recent lemon thread: Lemon spaghetti! This is the recipe I use—a friend got me hooked on it in college, and now it's a staple in my house. Also, lemon squeezed on pita with chicken kebabs is excellent!
posted by limeonaire at 4:54 PM on November 14, 2010


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