Red Lentils Tarka

Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 5 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 1 1/2 cups red lentils (masoor dal)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 1/4-1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil or 3 tablespoons ghee
• asafetida powder, generous pinch
• 1 teaspoon cumin seed
• 3 -5 hot red chili peppers, dried

Recipe

• 1 pick over lentils and wash in several changes of water. drain. place in heavy saucepan. add 5 c water and turmeric. stir and bring to simmer over medium heat. (do not let it boil over.).
• 2 cover in such a way as to leave the lid very slightly ajar, turn heat to low, and simmer gently for 35-40 min or until tender. stir a few times during cooking.
• 3 add salt and mix. leave covered, on very low heat, as you do the next step:.
• 4 put oil in frying pan and set over medium-high heat.
• 5 when oil is hot, add asafetida. a second later, add cumin seeds. let cumin seeds sizzle for a few seconds. add in red chiles. as soon as they turn dark red (just takes a few seconds), lift up the lid of the lentil pan and pour the contents of the frying pan, oil as well as spices. cover the saucepan immediately to trap aromas.
• 6 serve.