Parippu

Method

1. Put the lentils in a bowl, cover with water and rub them between your hands; drain and repeat 3–4 times until the water is almost clear, then tip into a sieve. Thinly slice the red onion and divide it: half for the pot, half for the tempering. Slice the garlic thinly and slit the green chillies lengthways.

2. Put the lentils, water, turmeric, half the onion, the garlic, green chillies and half the curry leaves in a 16 cm pot. Bring to the boil on medium-high heat, skim off the white foam, then turn down to low heat, partly cover and simmer for 17 min, stirring now and then, until the lentils turn yellow and collapse.

   Add in this stepRed lentils (masoor dal) 100 gWater 450 mlGround turmeric ½ tspRed onion (or shallots) ¼Garlic cloves 2Hot green chillies 1Curry leaves 5

   medium-high heat→low heat

3. Stir in the coconut milk and salt and simmer gently on low heat for 3 min. Do not let it boil hard or the coconut milk can split. Aim for a texture a little thicker than soup that spreads softly when poured from a ladle; add a splash of hot water if it is too thick.

   Add in this stepCoconut milk 120 mlSalt ¾ tsp

   low heat

4. Tempering: heat the oil in a small 14 cm pan on medium heat, add the mustard seeds and cover until the popping dies down. Add the cumin, the dried chillies broken in half, the rest of the onion and the rest of the curry leaves and fry for 2 min 30 sec, until the onion is golden. Curry leaves spit the moment they hit the oil, so stand back as you add them.

   Add in this stepCoconut oil (or vegetable oil) 1½ tbspBlack mustard seeds ½ tspCumin seeds ½ tspDried red chillies 1Red onion (or shallots) ¼Curry leaves 5

   medium heat

5. Pour the sizzling tempering, oil and all, over the lentils and stir it through. Serve warm with rice, roti or bread.