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1
Place the lentils and a litre of water into a pan, stir well and bring to the boil.
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2
Skim off any froth that forms on the surface of the water with a spoon.
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3
Cover the pan with a lid and reduce the heat to a simmer.
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4
Simmer, stirring regularly, for 35-40 minutes, or until the lentils are just tender, adding more water as necessary.
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5
When the lentils have cooked through, remove the pan from the heat and use a whisk to break down the lentils.
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6
Set the mixture aside to thicken and cool.
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7
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a pan over a medium heat.
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8
Add the cumin seeds and fry for 20-30 seconds, or until fragrant.
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9
Add the onion, chillies and ginger and fry for 4-5 minutes, or until golden-brown.
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10
Blend the garlic and tomatoes to a puree in a food processor.
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11
Add the puree to the pan and stir well to combine.
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12
Add the ground spices and 100ml/3 1/2fl oz of water to the pan and stir well to combine.
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13
Season, to taste, with salt and simmer over a medium heat for 15-20 minutes, or until the oil from the sauce has risen to the surface of the sauce.
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14
Add the cooked lentils to the sauce and stir well, adding more water as necessary to loosen the mixture.
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15
Bring the mixture to the boil and season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
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16
Stir in the chopped coriander just before serving.
