Tarka Dal

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup red split lentils or chana dhal (yellow split peas)
• 3 cup water
• 1 teaspoon level salt
• 1 small onion chopped
• 3 cloves garlic finely chopped
• 4 tablespoon melted ghee
• 1 pinch turmeric
• tiny pinch asafoetida
• pinch cumin seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh ginger or ginger paste
• 1 tomato
• 1/2 tbsp chopped coriander

1. Wash the lentils then place into a saucepan with the water and salt and bring to the boil. Turn the heat down and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes skimming off the froth that collects at the top.
2. Now partly cover the pan. Cook for a total of an hour stirring now and again. Just as the lentils start to get soft, add the ginger. At the end of the hour you should have a pale yellow soup like mixture.
3. While the dal is cooking fry the onion and garlic in the ghee until they are brown and crispy. Be careful not to burn the garlic as this will add a bad flavour to the dish! Then add the asafoetida, turmeric and garam masala. Stir-fry very briefly. Stir the onion mixture into the cooked lentils.
4. Serve hot sprinkled with chopped tomato and green coriander.

Serves 2