How to Make Chinese Preserved Steamed Lemons Asian Cooking Recipe Cuisine

China Preserved Steamed Lemons

This recipe was taken from centuries old cooking techniques and when possible applied modern cooking methods and/or ingredients.  It uses Asian cooking styles, Asian Spices, Asian Sauces and Asian Ingredients.  The style of cooking may have a slight alteration while still maintaining the dish's overall purpose.  In this blog we touch on recipes that may be predominant for the Chinese Cuisines.  We will also share recipes based upon country, or regions such as: Burma, Cambodia, Indian, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Nepal, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Tibet and Vietnam.  Some cuisines are considered South Asian, South East Asian, Central Asian and/or Middle Eastern and may not be strictly connected to a specific country or culture.

Recipe makes for 3-4 Servings

3 or 4 good-sized lemons with thick skin (not Meyer lemons)

1 cup kosher salt

4½ cups water

Directions:

Scrub the lemons well under running water, then steam them for 10 minutes in a steaming basket set over boiling water. 

If you don’t have a steaming basket, improvise with a colander or a sieve set over a large cooking pot and covered to keep the steam in.

Preheat the oven to 200°F.

Remove the lemons from the steamer with tongs or a large spoon, let cool enough to handle, then dry well with clean kitchen towels.
Place the lemons directly on your clean oven rack, or on a wire rack placed over a baking sheet. 

Prop the oven door open slightly with the handle of a wooden spoon, and let the lemons dry for 4 hours. Turn off the oven heat and let the lemons sit in the oven (or another dry place, if the oven is needed) for 8 hours or overnight. The lemons will begin to collapse a bit; this is desirable.

Next morning, pack the lemons into the bottom of a clear 3-quart or larger jar or plastic container. In a separate pitcher, combine the salt and the water and pour it over the lemons. If the lemons try to float, fill a plastic bag with water, knot the top, and use it to submerge them. 

Put the jar near a window where the lemons will get frequent and indirect sunlight and let them sit for 6 months. As they age, they will become darker in color and will cave in on themselves even more.


Whole lemons can be stored at room temperature, but a cut fruit should be refrigerated submerged in brine. These lemons will keep for several years, continuing to get darker and more intensely flavored.

Find Local Asian Markets

For the adventurous palate, a great side dish that compliments this recipe is Jaew Bong.  Discover more about Jaew Bong, check out www.jaewbong.com.

Enjoy..

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