In a pot of salted water, bring the diced parsnips to a boil and cook until slightly softened, about 4-5 minutes. Drain.

Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the parsnips and a few pinches of salt, pepper and garam masala and reduce the heat to low. Cook, gently stirring or shaking the pan occasionally to prevent sticking, until the parsnips have gone golden-brown and sticky on the edges, about 15-20 minutes.

While the parsnips are cooking, heat a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Melt the remaining butter and 1 tablespoon of the oil until sizzling, then add the onion, ginger and garlic and a couple pinches of salt and pepper. Sauté, stirring frequently, until the onion begins to turn a bit translucent (about 5-6 minutes) and then stir in the turmeric, coriander, cumin and fenugreek for a few seconds until they’re fragrant.

Push the onion mixture to the side of the pot with your spoon and add 2 tablespoons of the tomato paste. Stir-fry for a minute or so to open up the flavor of the tomato paste and spices, then add the lentils and another few pinches of salt and pepper. Stir until they’re glossy and evenly coated with the spiced tomato-y oil, then stir in the broth plus a quart of water.

Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce the heat to low. Gently simmer, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are as creamy and tender as you prefer — about 30 minutes if you like them semi-intact, or 45 minutes if you prefer a smoother texture.

Taste and add seasoning as needed, then sprinkle the caramelized parsnips over the top.

In the same pan that you used for the parsnips, heat up the remaining oil over medium heat and stir-fry the remaining tomato paste until the oil turns orange.

Push the tomato paste to the side, tipping the pan slightly so the oil pools in the corner, then scoop out the paste and stir it into the lentils.

Fry the cumin seeds in that orange oil for a few seconds and then pour the cumin-tomato tadka over the top of the soup.

Serve with a drizzle of cool buttermilk (if using) and a sprinkle of chopped cilantro.