Sourcing spices from the old bazaars of Jaipur

Every Tuesday morning, before the Rajasthan heat builds up, I take a walk through the narrow lanes of Johari Bazaar in the Pink City. The air there smells of history—a rich, heavy blend of cardamom, fennel, and cold-pressed mustard oil. I do not buy pre-packaged spices. To get the perfect texture in our pickles, the spices must be bought whole and ground by hand in our kitchen. We look for heavy, deep green fennel seeds (saunf) which bring a cooling sweetness. The fenugreek (methi) must be golden-yellow and dry. And the mustard seeds (rai) must be small and sharp. Grinding them coarsely is the key. If you grind them into a fine powder, they release their oils too quickly and turn the pickle bitter. We want the spices to release their flavors slowly inside the jar over months, keeping the pickle fresh and fragrant. It takes extra effort, but when you eat our pickle with a warm paratha, that coarse texture of spices is what makes it feel like home.