Lentil dahl (oil-free)

I made this recipe because I’m often too lazy to make tarka dahl which involves frying spices, garlic and curry leaves and adding it all, including the oil, to the dahl mixture at the end. And sometimes I just fancy something lower in fat content, so I make this instead.

The key ingredients are the lentils, chili, turmeric, lemon juice which taste fantastic together, seasoned with a little salt. In my opinion, everything else is optional and a matter of personal taste. The ginger and garlic can add depth to the dish and the cumin and coriander are a lovely combination but often I leave them out and keep things simple.

ingredients
about 1/2 litre of water — more if the mixture gets too thick
about 200g red lentils, rinsed
about 100g chickpeas, cooked
1 mild chili, finely chopped
1/2 inch fresh ginger, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or crushed
1 fresh tomato, chopped (optional)

1 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp ground cumin (optional)
1/2 tsp ground coriander (optional)
1/2 tsp salt (sea salt for preference)

juice 1/2 lemon

method
Add all of the ingredients except for the lemon juice to a pan and bring to the boil. Turn down to a gentle simmer and cook for about 30 minutes. The lentils should be mostly disintegrated creating a thick soup-like consistency. Add the lemon juice, stir, check for salt and serve. Garnish with fresh coriander if available.