Lehsun ka achar

Step 1: Prepare the jar: wash jar and lid in hot soapy water, rinse well, then stand the jar upside down in a 250°F oven for 10 minutes (or boil jar and lid for 10 minutes and let them dry upside down). Let it cool completely; jar, lid, bowls and spoons must be bone dry, because a single drop of water is the usual reason a pickle goes mouldy.

Step 2: Rinse the peeled 9 oz garlic cloves, then spread on a towel until completely dry, about 1 hour. Trim the hard root ends.

Step 3: In a dry glass bowl, toss the garlic with 1 ½ tbsp salt, 1 tsp ground turmeric, ¼ cup lemon juice and ¼ cup white vinegar. Cover and leave in the fridge for 24 hours, stirring once; the cloves soak up the acid and lose some of their raw edge.

Step 4: Dry-roast 2 tbsp fennel seeds (saunf) and 1 tbsp fenugreek seeds in a pan over a medium-low heat until the fennel smells sweet and the methi turns golden, about 2 minutes. Cool and grind coarsely.

Step 5: Heat ¾ cup mustard oil in a pan over a medium-high heat until it just smokes, then turn off the heat and let it cool for 3–4 minutes until warm, not hot.

Step 6: Stir 1 tbsp split mustard seeds (rai kuria), 1 tsp nigella seeds (kalonji), 2 tbsp red chilli powder, 1 tbsp amchur (dried mango powder) and ½ tsp gluten-free asafoetida into the warm oil with the ground fennel and methi. Let the masala cool completely.

Step 7: Mix the garlic and all its soaking liquid into the cold masala with a dry spoon. Pack into the dry jar and press down; the cloves should be covered by oil and liquid. Top up with a little extra oil if needed.

Step 8: Close and leave in the fridge for 7 days, shaking the jar every day, before eating. Keep it in the fridge for up to 1 month and never leave it out on the counter. Throw it away if the lid bulges, it fizzes, smells off, grows mould or the cloves turn slimy.