Empress Dal

Recipe from my Indian Home Cooking cookbook by Suvir Saran and Stephanie Lyness

3 Tbsp canola oil
2 tsp cumin seeds
3 whole dried red chiles
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup lentils (picked over, washed and drained)
1/4 tsp cayenne
1 Tbsp amchur (dried mango powder) or the juice of 1 lemon
4 cups water
1 tsp salt

Combine the oil, cumin, red chiles, and turmeric in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring 1-2 minutes. Add the garlic, lentils, cayenne, and amchur, and cook, stirring for another minute.

Add the water and salt, bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the lentils are soft (20-30 minutes). Add more water during cooking if necessary. Taste for salt.

Ladle about 1/2 cup of the lentils into a small bowl and mash them with a spoon (you could also use an immersion blender). Return the mashed lentils to the pot and stir. Continue cooking at a simmer, uncovered for 5 minutes to thicken.