Simple Lentil Dal (Dahl)

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 inch piece cinnamon stick
• 1 teaspoon cumin seed
• 3 whole cloves
• 4 green cardamom pods
• 1 cup lentils or pink lentils or yellow split lentils (picked over, washed and drained)
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 4 cups cold water
• 1 teaspoon salt, to taste

Tempering Oil

• 1 tablespoon canola oil (I used ghee, clarified butter)
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves (mashed to a paste, about 1/2 tablespoon)
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 1 fresh hot green chili pepper, minced (I used a tablespoon of roasted jalapeno, minced-not as hot)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/2 lemon, juice of or lime, juice of, plus more to taste

Directions

1. 1

   Heat the oil with the cinnamon stick in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring, until the cinnamon unfurls, 1 to 2 minutes.

2. 2

   Add the cumin, cloves and cardamom and cook, stirring, until the cumin turns a golden brown color, about 1 more minute. Add the lentils, turmeric, water and salt. Bring to a boil and skim well. Turn down the heat and simmer, covered, until the lentils are soft, 20-30 minutes. Add more water during cooking if necessary. Taste for salt and add more if you need to.

3. 3

   Ladle about 1/2 cup of the lentils into a small bowl and mash them with a spoon (optional). Return the mashed lentils to the pot and give the dal a stir. Continue cooking at a simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes to thicken. If you like a thicker dal, use a whisk to break up the lentils into a puree. If you like a thinner dal, add water. Remove the cinnamon stick (and cardamom pods, if you like).

4. 4

   For the tempering oil, heat the oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until it just begins to brown around the edges, 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic paste, ginger and minced chile and cook just to mellow the raw taste of the garlic, 10-15 *seconds*.

5. 5

   Stir half of the tempering oil into the dal along with half of the cilantro and all of the lemon or lime juice. Simmer very gently for 5 minutes. Transfer the dal to a serving bowl, pour the remaining tempering oil over the top and sprinkle with the remaining cilantro. Serve hot with additional lemon or lime juice to taste.