Name: Dal tadka
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 1 cup Yellow split lentils; 2 Roma tomatoes; 1 Yellow onion; 5 cloves Garlic; 1 inches Fresh ginger; 1 Serrano pepper; 1 bunch Fresh cilantro; 2 cups Basmati rice; 3 tbsp Ghee; 1 tsp Cumin seeds; 2 Dried red chilies; 1 tsp Garam masala; 1 tsp Ground turmeric; 1 tsp Chili powder; 2 tsp Salt

Dal tadka

Soft yellow lentils finished with sizzling spiced butter. Everyday Indian comfort food.

How many people are eating

Written for 4. Everything below is scaled to 4.

What goes on the list — untick anything you have

1 cup Yellow split lentils(toor dal or moong dal from an Indian market, or yellow split peas at Walmart (add 15 minutes))
2 Roma tomatoes
1 Yellow onion
5 cloves Garlic
1 inches Fresh ginger
1 Serrano pepper
1 bunch Fresh cilantro
2 cups Basmati rice
3 tbsp Ghee(Walmart international aisle or Indian market; or butter)
1 tsp Cumin seeds(spice aisle; or 1/2 tsp ground cumin)
2 Dried red chilies(Hispanic spice bags at Walmart work well)
1 tsp Garam masala(spice aisle at Walmart, or any Indian market. Swap: a pinch each of cumin, cinnamon and cloves)
1 tsp Ground turmeric· most people have this
1 tsp Chili powder· most people have this
2 tsp Salt· most people have this

It lands in the shopping form, where you can edit anything, add to it, and say what you think each thing costs. Nothing is ordered until you send it.

How to cook it · about 45 minutes

Rinse the lentils in a strainer until the water runs mostly clear. Start the rice.
Put the lentils in a pot with 4 cups of water, the turmeric and 1 tsp salt. Bring to a boil, skim off the foam, then simmer partly covered for 25 to 30 minutes until completely soft. Whisk them to break them down.
While the lentils cook, chop the onion and tomatoes and mince the garlic, ginger and serrano.
In a skillet, heat 1 tbsp ghee over medium heat and cook the onion 6 minutes until soft. Add the ginger, serrano and half the garlic for 1 minute, then the tomatoes and chili powder. Cook 5 minutes until the tomatoes collapse, then stir it all into the lentils. Add water if it is thicker than a creamy soup.
For the tadka: wipe out the skillet and heat the remaining 2 tbsp ghee until very hot. Add the cumin seeds and dried chilies; when the seeds sizzle and darken (about 20 seconds), add the rest of the garlic and stir until just golden.
Pour the sizzling ghee straight over the dal. It will spit, so stand back. Stir in the garam masala, taste for salt, top with cilantro and serve with rice.

Amounts are on the list above — they change with the number of people; the steps do not.