Roasting the spice-seeds does change their taste. Well worth the extra step.
Time needed:
Prep : 15 minutes
cooking: 50 minutes
For 6-8 servings
3 tablespoons oil
1 medium onion
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon salt
200g cup red lentils
2 tablespoons concentrated tomato paste
1/2l cups water
5 plum tomatoes, chopped
juice of 1 lime
1 cup lightly packed chopped fresh cilantro
Spice blend
2 teaspoons mustard seeds
1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
6 cloves of garlic
4 cardomom pods
2 dried red chilis (seeds removed)
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Tools
spice mortar and pestle
roasting pan
wide and low casserol or saucepan
....
Roast the spice seeds for about 5 minutes. Let them cool. Put them in a mortar along with the dried chilly, cinnamon and salt. Grind till you heve a fine powder.
Fry the onion till it starts to glaze then add the garlick and ginger and fry some more. Add the spice-mix and fry that to. Ps don't fry to hot cause the onion would start to get burned. Total frying time shuld be about ten minutes.
Deglaze the casserol by adding water and prop the tomato paste and lentils in. Let simmer for about twenty minutes. Then add the tomatoes, lime juice and cilantro. Let this simmer for another 10 minutes.
The food of Indians.