DAAL TARKA - Serves four

FOR THE DAAL:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, sliced (1 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced fine
2 cup yellow lentils (channa daal), soaked overnight and then measured
2 1/2 cups water
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
2 teaspoons ground or grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon salt

FOR THE TARKA:
2 tablespoon ghee (clarified butter) or regular butter
1 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 clove garlic chopped

GARNISH:
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add the onions and stir to coat them with oil. Cook over medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes, stirring constantly. Add a few drops of water if the onions start sticking as they brown. When the onions are almost entirely an even light brown, add the minced garlic. Let it cook until toffee brown, and then quickly add the lentils, water, cayenne, coriander, turmeric, garam masala, ginger and salt. Lower the heat, cover the pot and simmer for about 15-20 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed and the lentils begin to break down a bit. Check periodically during cooking -- some lentils will require a little extra water before they are finished.

Just before serving, make the tarka. Over medium-high heat, melt the ghee or butter in a saute pan. Drop the cumin seeds and garlic into the hot fat and stir constantly. Cook the garlic until it is tan and lets off a nutty fragrance. If you use regular butter, be careful, because it will burn much quicker than ghee.

Spoon the tarka over the lentils, and garnish with a little chopped cilantro.