Step 1

Wash the lentils in a sieve under the cold tap until the water runs clear, then leave to drain. Put the chopped tomatoes in a blender, blitz smooth, then set aside.

Step 2

Put the oil in a large saucepan on a medium heat. Once it’s hot, add the mustard seeds and curry leaves, let them crackle and pop for a few seconds (if they don’t, move on with the next step immediately, because they’ll quickly turn bitter), then stir in the garlic, ginger and chillies, and cook for two minutes, until the smell of the garlic goes from raw to cooked.

Step 3

Add the cumin, turmeric, pepper and salt, and stir to mix.

Step 4

Add the fresh tomato paste, mix again, then partially put a lid over the top and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes.

Step 5

Add the lentils and a litre of water, stir, cock the lid over the top again and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat and cook for a further 10-15 minutes, until the lentils and water have come together – you don’t want them to be merged completely, but to a level of uniformity that you understand to be dal, rather than lentils in broth, for example.

Step 6

Serve with steamed basmati rice.