Jan 13 - Crab apples in Brine

There 's a beloved pickle that most folks in India take for granted. Amla (Indian Gooseberries)  berries in brine, the tart crunchy berries are a treat to nibble on and lend themselves very well to incorporating into Raitas , relishes and chutneys.. Another produce that one never gets to see fresh on this side of the pond.
Crab apples picked at the peak of their season were a great hack to substitute for Amla, they're slightly smaller, crunchy tart texture and even have a seedy center. As I learned over two consecutive apple seasons, as long as you pick the scarlet colored ones (the yellow ones are ripe and tend to be mealy, quite the opposite of being ripened when red) , All you need is brine thats been brought to a boil and cooled, as many Thai green chilies as you want (slit vertically) and thin wedges of lemon. Combine and bottle the crab apples in an airtight jar. They're ready to munch on in about 2 weeks.