Masoor dal with tadka

Ingredients

• 1 cup split red lentils (masoor dal)
• 3 cups water
• ½ tsp turmeric
• Salt to taste
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 2 tbsp ghee or oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 4 cloves garlic, sliced
• 2 dried red chillies
• A pinch of hing
• ½ tsp red chilli powder
• 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
• 1 tsp lemon juice

Method

1. Wash the dal two or three times until the water runs clear.
2. Cook the dal with water, turmeric, salt and tomato until soft and broken down: about 2 whistles in a pressure cooker or 20 minutes in a covered pot.
3. Whisk the dal smooth and add hot water if it is too thick.
4. For the tadka, heat ghee in a small pan. Add cumin, then garlic, dried chillies and hing, and fry until the garlic turns golden.
5. Take the pan off the heat, add chilli powder and pour the tadka over the dal at once.
6. Finish with coriander and lemon juice. Serve with rice or roti.