Soak the lentils for at least an hour in water if you can. The longer they soak, the more digestible they become and the quicker to cook.

Drain off the soaking water, replace with fresh and drain again. This is usually enough to get rid of any debris, but if not repeat until the lentils are clean.

Cover the lentils with 350ml water, add the bay leaf and place the lid on the pan. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 20-30 minutes or until the lentils are soft, but still hold their shape. How much water the lentils absorb depends on how long the lentils have soaked. So check to make sure the lentils haven't dried out towards the end of cooking and add more water if needed.

Meanwhile, fry the onions in the oil in a wide frying pan over a medium heat for 2-3 minutes until translucent.

Add the salt and herbs and continue to fry until the onion starts to caramelise. Give an occasional stir to prevent burning. This will take around 4-5 minutes.

Add the garlic, give a good stir, then stir in the diced tomato.

Let the tomato cook for ten minutes, then tip in the cooked lentils. If there's still an obvious amount of liquid left in the pan, drain them first, but a small amount is fine.

Add the tamari, stir and let the whole lot cook until all the liquid has evaporated, but not so much that the lentils are dry.

Stir in the black pepper and taste test. If you feel the lentils need more salt, tamari or pepper, now is the time to add them.