Nimboo ka Achar or lime pickle

1. Wash and dry the limes with a clean dry cloth. Make 4 cuts in each lime, rub the salt all over and insert into the cuts. Keep in a jar for about 2 to 3 weeks and shake every alternate day.

2. Heat the oil till the blue haze appears. Remove from the fire, add asafoetida and crush with the back of a spoon when it swells up. Return to heat, add chilli powder and heat till the red colour comes out but it is not burnt.

3. Take the pan off the fire, add brown mustard seeds and stir till it is cooked. Add ginger, chillies and the limes cut into 4 pieces. Simmer till the ginger and the limes are a little tender.

4. In the meantime broil the fenugreek seeds on a hot griddle (tawa) and then grind. Also take out the juice of six limes. Add both these to the cooked pickle, stir and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.

5. Remove from the fire, cool and pour into a sterilised screw-capped glass jar.

6. Cover and tie a piece of muslin around the neck of the bottle.