Take 1 kg ripe lemons with thin peels. Wash them thoroughly two or three times with normal water, then rinse them with hot water containing 2 tbsp salt. Pat them dry carefully.

Cut each lemon into eight pieces and deseed them.

In a mixing bowl, combine the lemons with 4 tbsp salt and mix well. (Pro tip: Salt acts as a preservative, helping to preserve the pickle.)

Cover the bowl with a plate and set it aside in the kitchen for four days. Stir the lemons occasionally during this time.

After 4 days, the lemons should be soft and easily breakable due to the salt water. Strain the salt water from them.

In a frying pan, dry roast 2 tbsp fennel seeds, 1 tbsp black mustard seeds, 1 tbsp yellow mustard seeds, 1 tbsp carom seeds, 1 tbsp brown mustard seeds, and 1 tbsp fenugreek seeds perfectly for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and let them cool on a plate.

Grind 250 gm of sugar in a grinder to make it fine. (Pro tip: Grinding the sugar allows for immediate consumption, while using whole sugar requires 2 to 3 days for mixing and serving.)

Coarsely grind the roasted spices.

In a mixing bowl, combine all the lemons with 1 tbsp Kashmiri red chili powder, 1 tbsp red chili powder, 1 tbsp garam masala powder, 1 tbsp black salt, ½ tbsp nigella seeds, and 250 gm of finely ground sugar. Mix thoroughly.

Store the mixture in a clean, dry glass jar, ensuring no moisture is present. This is your sweet lemon pickle.

Your sweet lemon pickle will be ready to serve after two to three days.