Via Ruth DeSouza

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2 large tomatoes roughly chopped

200g red lentils rinsed

1large pinch sea salt

1tsp red chilli powder (I use kashmiri: it’s milder so you can use 2 tsp)

1tsp ground turmeric

3 limes juiced

1 thumb-sized piece ginger peeled and finely chopped

2tbsp jaggery or brown sugar

5tbsp ghee or vegetable oil

8 curry leaves

3 small fresh red chillies seeds and pith removed, then thinly sliced

1tbsp yellow mustard seeds

0.5tsp fenugreek seeds

2 garlic cloves peeled and finely sliced

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1. Bring the tomatoes, lentils, salt and 900ml of water to a boil in a medium saucepan, skimming and discarding any white foam that rises to the surface. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes, until the lentils are very soft but still hold their shape.

2. Meanwhile, blitz the chilli powder, turmeric, lime juice, ginger and sugar in a food processor until smooth, or chop together on a board. Once the lentils are cooked, stir in the seasoning mix and simmer for another five minutes, so the lentils absorb all the flavours. Take off the heat and blend with a stick blender to a thin, soup-type dal about the consistency of double cream.

3. Just before serving, heat the ghee in a small, heavy-based frying pan over a medium-high heat. Once the fat is hot, add the curry leaves, chillies, mustard seeds, fenugreek and garlic, one at a time, pausing for a second between each addition and swirling the pan. Cook for about 30 seconds, until the spices are toasted, the curry leaves sizzle and pop, and the garlic begins to brown at the edges.

4. Spoon the spices over the dal and serve immediately with basmati rice and the green chutney (see opposite).