Serves 4 as a side dish/accompaniment.
Serves 2 as a major dish.

• 1/2 white onion, chopped
• 4 tomatoes, chopped into quarters
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 250g dry lentils
• 500ml water
• 3tsp cayenne pepper
• 2tsp chilli powder
• 4tsp tumeric
• 3 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 2 tsp pepper

1. Gently fry the onion and garlic till the onion is translucent (I use coconut oil, about a teaspoon’s worth) – not brown!

2. Add the spices, stir together for 30 seconds.

3. Add dry lentils and mix together

4. Add water. Mix. Bring to the boil. Add the salt and pepper

5. Reduce to a simmer and simmer for 45 mins

5a. Watch it, stir occasionally. Add more water if it is going dry in small amounts.

It’s done when the daal is a gloopy soft consistency, but all the water has disappeared and there’s just a gentle thick sauce.

I can’t believe I have cracked this. Homemade solution to my Dishoom Daal obsession (theirs is still better)