Dal Tadka

Ingredients

• 250 g red lentils, rinsed until the water runs clear
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 2 tbsp oil or ghee
• 2 tsp cumin seeds
• 4 garlic cloves, sliced
• 2 green chillies, slit lengthways
• 1 onion, finely sliced
• 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• a handful of coriander, chopped
• salt, to taste

Method

1. Boil the lentils

   Cover the lentils with about a litre of water, add the turmeric and bring to the boil. Skim off the foam that rises in the first few minutes — leave it and the dal tastes muddy.

   5 min

2. Simmer to collapse

   Turn down and simmer, half covered, until the lentils have completely broken down into a loose porridge. Season with salt only now: added early it slows them down.

   20 min

3. Start the tadka

   In a small pan, heat the oil until shimmering and add the cumin seeds. When they crackle and darken — a few seconds, no more — add the garlic, chillies and onion and fry until deeply golden.

   7 min

4. Finish the tadka

   Stir in the chilli powder and tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes collapse and the oil separates out at the edges. That separation is the signal the spices are cooked.

   5 min

5. Combine

   Pour the tadka into the dal — it will hiss — and stir through with the coriander. Loosen with hot water to the consistency you like.