Don't throw away lemon peels: how to make a tangy masala at home

We squeeze lemon juice onto our food to add flavour and to help digestion. It gives dishes a tangy taste and aids digestion. Lemon is routinely squeezed over koshimbir, chaat or salad. But once the juice is extracted, the peels are usually thrown away.

Instead of discarding them, the peels can be turned into a masala at home in a simple way. This masala can be used to marinate chicken and fish. It can also be sprinkled over popcorn, French fries and other snacks, giving them a tangy, delicious taste.

Rather than always buying ready-made masalas from the market, everyone is likely to like this tangy masala made at home more. If prepared properly, it keeps well for a month. Here is the simple recipe for lemon peel masala.

The ingredients are dried lemon peel, black salt, oregano powder, citric acid, sugar, roasted cumin powder, red chilli powder and black pepper.

First, dry the lemon peels in strong sunlight for two to three days. This helps the masala last longer. Do not keep the peels damp while making the masala, because damp peels make it spoil quickly.

Next, put the dried lemon peels, black salt, oregano powder, citric acid, sugar, roasted cumin and red chilli powder in a mixer jar. Grind everything to a coarse powder.

Once ground, take the masala out of the mixer and let it cool completely. When cool, it is ready to use.

The lemon peel masala can be sprinkled over French fries, popcorn, roasted makhana, vegetables or any tangy chaat. It tastes different from everyday masalas and is more tangy.