Weeknight red lentil dal

Red lentils cook down without soaking, so this is the dinner for evenings when nobody planned dinner. The tempering at the end — spices fried in fat and poured over — is what makes it taste of more than lentils.

Ingredients

• 250 g red lentils, rinsed until the water runs clear
• 1 litre water
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced
• a thumb of ginger, grated
• 2 tbsp ghee or neutral oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds, ½ tsp mustard seeds, 1 dried chilli
• juice of half a lemon, a handful of coriander

Method

1. Simmer the lentils with the water, turmeric and salt for about 20 minutes, skimming the foam, until they collapse. Whisk to a rough purée.
2. Meanwhile soften the onion in half the ghee, then add the garlic and ginger for another minute. Stir into the lentils.
3. Heat the rest of the ghee until very hot. Add the cumin, mustard seeds and chilli; when the mustard seeds start to pop, pour everything over the dal.
4. Finish with lemon juice and coriander. Taste for salt — it usually needs a little more.