Red lentil dal tarka

35 min · serves 4

The lentils are cooked plain and all the flavour arrives with the spiced butter poured over at the end. Red lentils are stocked by larger supermarkets and import grocers.

Ingredients

• 200 g Red lentils
• 800 ml Water
• 1/2 tsp Ground turmeric
• 30 g Ghee or unsalted butter
• 1 tsp Whole cumin seeds
• 4 cloves Garlic, sliced
• 1 bulb Shallot, thinly sliced
• 1 piece Tomato, diced
• 2 pieces Dried chillies
• 1/2 tsp Chilli powder
• 2 tsp Salt
• 10 g Coriander, chopped

Method

1. Rinse the lentils several times until the water runs clear.
2. Put the lentils, turmeric and water in a pot, bring to a boil, then lower the heat. Skim off the foam.
3. Simmer 20 to 25 minutes, stirring now and then, until the lentils collapse into a thick sauce. Add hot water if it tightens too much.
4. Season with salt, turn off the heat and cover the pot.
5. In a small pan, melt the ghee, then drop in the cumin seeds and dried chillies and fry 30 seconds until fragrant.
6. Add the garlic and shallot and fry until the edges turn gold, then add the tomato and chilli powder and cook 2 minutes more.
7. Pour the whole spiced butter over the lentils, stir once, and finish with coriander.

Tempered lentils →