Nimbu ka Achaar Garam Masalewala

Ingredients

• 1 kg nimbu (sour limes), washed and wiped dry
• 1 ¼ cup (250 g) salt
• Powder together:
• ¼ cup roasted jeera (cumin seeds)
• ¼ cup (60 g) sugar
• 2 tbsp sonth (dried ginger)
• 2 tbsp roasted ajwain (carum/thymol)
• 1 tbsp badi elaichi (black cardamom) seeds only
• 1 tbsp laung (cloves)
• 1 tbsp cinnamom (dalchini)
• 2-3-tej patta (bay leaves)
• ¼ cup (50 g) kala namak (black rock salt)
• 1 tbsp sabut kali mirch (peppercorns)
• ½ a jaiphal (nutmeg)
• 6-7 blades of javitri (mace)
• 2 tsp heeng (asafoetida) roasted

Preparation

• Make cuts into the lemons, at right angles to each other along the length, leaving them joint at just the end, so that they do not fall apart.

• Fill the spice mixture into the space created in the lemons, as tightly as possible.

• Place these lemons into the jar and sprinkle left over spice mixture if any. Sun for about a month, shaking the jar 2-3 times a day, to mix well.

• Leave the pickle to mature another 15 days or so, before you can eat it.