Ingredients:

That you can get anywhere:

2.5 c. Green lentils
1/2 large onion
3 cloves garlic
LOTS of ginger (I grated about a finger’s worth
McCormick Hot Madras Curry Powder, or your favorite combination of tumeric, coriander, cumin, red pepper, and other spices.  I used the McCormick stuff because I had it handy, and it was VERY good.  About 1 cap worth.  Seriously, don’t skimp on the spices.
1 can tomato paste, or 1/2 to 1 cup diced tomatoes
1 jalapeño pepper

That you will have to hunt for:

10 curry leaves (optional, and very hard to find in many places
1 pinch asafoetida (be warned, this stuff smells FOUL.  If you  use the hot madras curry powder, it is already mixed in.  If you find asafoetida, you can skip the onion.  If not, no biggie–just don’t skimp on the onion.)

The lazy method:

Put the lentils in a large saucepan with three cups of water

dump the garlic, ginger, onion, and jalapeño into a food processor and process until not recognizable.  Scrape the resulting mush into the saucepan.  Cook until lentils are desired softness (about 30 minutes will get you to slightly chewy).  Mix in spices and tomato paste, re-water to desired consistency.

The involved method:

Soak lentils in 3 cups of water for half an hour.  Mushify the ginger and jalapeño by hand or mechanical method. Mince onion and garlic (or mince onion and press garlic); keep separate.

Boil lentils for half an hour, or to desired softness.

Sauté the onion and garlic with the spices in ghee or neutral oil until aromatic.  Add to lentils
along with ginger, jalapeño, and tomato paste.  Simmer for a minute to marry the flavors.

Serve over rice (I prefer brown basmati rice); consider garnishing with cilantro.