Red Lentil Dal

This recipe was a part of our Curried Winter Night menu. Please check out the entire menu and the story behind its creation – it includes a handy shopping list!1.5 lb split red lentils2 medium onions, finely chopped3 ounces butter6 cloves garlic, minced2 medium carrots, peeled and very finely chopped1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds2 teaspoon whole mustard seeds1 tablespoon ground turmeric20 ounces chicken broth1 14 ounce can coconut milk4 thin slices fresh ginger, unpeeled and minced1 pounds tomatoes, peeled and roughly choppedjuice of 1 large lime2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantroIn a deep skillet, fry onions in butter until pale golden. Add half the garlic, the carrot and the whole spices and cook gently for 5 minutes. Stir in the turmeric and cook for a couple of minutes. Add the lentils and 10 fluid oz. water or chicken broth, coconut milk, ginger, tomatoes, a heaped teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Simmer and cook gently uncovered for 40-50 minutes until lentils are tender and all but dissolved into the liquid. You may need to add more water during this time to stop the mixture from drying out. Remove from heat. Melt remaining butter in a small pan and when it starts to froth, add rest of garlic, stir vigorously until it colors slightly. Immediately add into lentils, constantly stirring, add the lime juice and cilantro. Cover and leave to mellow for 10 minutes before serving.