Lemon Pickle

Ingredients                                        

Lemons	5-10
Green chillies (long)	1 optional
Mustard seeds	1 tspn
Hing	1 tspn
Pickle masala	2 tbspn
Salt	As per your taste
Oil	10 ml

Method

1. Wash and cut lemons into very tiny pieces. Put it in a bowl and keep aside.
2. Add salt and mix thoroughly. Keep it in the fridge for about 10 days.
3. The lemons have soaked in the salt and become soft and juicy. Now add pickle masala and mix everything well with a dry spon. If you are using readymade pickle masala, then add only a tiny bit of salt as the masala already contains salt.
4. Heat oil and add mustard seeds. When it splutters, add hing and pour this over the lemons. Mix it and store it in an air tight container.  

Tomato Thokku

Ingredients                                        

Ripe tomatoes	1  kg
Methi seeds	2 tspn
Mustard seeds	1 tspn
Asafoetida	½ tspn
Chilli powder	2 tspn or as per taste
Salt	As per taste
Oil	50 ml

Method

1. Wash and dice tomatoes into very tiny pieces and keep aside.
2. Heat about 40 ml oil in a heavy bottom pan and add methi seeds. When it turns brown, add the tomatoes and fry for few minutes. It will leave water but don’t worry! Cook in a medium heat stirring occasionally. Make sure it does not get burnt or stick to the pan.
3. When all the water has evaporated and it starts to become thick, add chilli powder and salt. Keep frying until the oil leaves the side of the pan and the tomatoes have changed the colour and become thick.  Make sure it is not watery as this has to be thick and chutney-like consistency.
4. Heat oil and add mustard seeds. When it splutters, add hing and pour this over the fried thokku.
5. When it is completely cooled, store it in a dry container and keep it in the fridge. It will last up to a month when stored properly. This goes well with anything.

Peas Pulao/Peas Rice

Ingredients

Basmati rice	2 cups
Fresh/Frozen peas	¾ cup
Green chillies (optional)	2-3
Jeera/cumin seeds	1 ½ tsp
Cinnamon sticks	3-4   ¼ inch pieces
Cloves	2-3
Cardamom	2-3
Bay leaves	3-4
Coriander leaves chopped	2-3 tbsp
Salt	According to the taste
Saffron for color and flavor	2 strands
Oil & Ghee	2 tbsp each

Method

1. Wash rice and keep aside.
2. Heat oil and ghee in a pan. Add cumin seeds followed by cinnamon sticks, clove, cardamom and bay leaves and fry for few seconds and then add peas. If using fresh peas make sure to boil before this. If using frozen peas you can add this straight away and fry for a minute.
3. You can cook this rice in 2 ways: by using the electric rice cooker or cooking on the stove in a heavy bottomed pan. For 1 cup of rice use 1 ½ cups water, add the fried mixture and salt mix everything and cook.
4. Serve this rice with any kurma / gobi manchurians or any curry of your choice.