Recipe: Spicy Indian Dal

Cold winter nights seem to conjure up the strangest, most delicious craving for warm and spicy Indian food. We’ve been to most restaurants in the city and have decided to make our own Dal. The result? You’d gladly pay for this meal at a restaurant, but now you don’t have to. 

Ingredients
1 1/4 cup red lentils
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 onion, diced/chopped
8 cloves garlic (we can never have too much)
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 tablespoon red chili powder
1 tomato, chopped
1/4 cup tomato sauce
salt to taste
1 cup water, or enough to make it the consistency you desire

Instructions
Cook the lentils separately. While lentils are cooking, chop 1 onion and garlic. Heat 2 tablespoons oil and cumin seeds in a medium stockpot. Saute onion, garlic, turmeric powder, chili powder, and sprinkle cayenne if you like spice.  Reduce to simmer, chop tomato and add to pot – cook until soft. Add tomato sauce (we used our own home-made version), cooked lentils and water; bring to a boil for a few minutes, and salt to taste.