Ingredients
2 tbsps flavourless oil
200g onions, finely chopped
1 red chilli, finely chopped
1 green chilli, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
1 tbsp black mustard seeds
1½ tsp ground cumin 
1½ tsp ground coriander 
½ tsp garam masala
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground cardamom (or the seeds from 6 cardamom pods, ground)
250g dried split red lentils, washed
1 x 400ml tin coconut milk
500ml stock, vegetable or chicken
100g rainbow chard, stalks and leaves separated and shredded
4 tomatoes, cut into small chunks
2 lemons
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper 

Ingredients for the salsa
½ tbsps lemon juice
40g onion, finely diced
1 green chilli, very finely chopped
100g toasted cashew nuts, roughly chopped
2 tbsps mint, very finely chopped 

Ingredients for the chilli butter
2 tbsps butter
10 fresh curry leaves
1 tbsp tomato puree
1 tsp chilli powder
½ tsp dried chilli flakes

Method
Heat the oil in a large heavy based saucepan and cook the onions over a medium heat with a pinch of salt for 5-7 minutes until they are soft and translucent. Add the chillies, garlic and ginger and cook for another couple of minutes until everything in the pan is soft and fragrant. Add the mustard seeds and when they start to pop, stir in the rest of the spices.

Add the lentils, coconut milk and stock to the pan, give everything a good stir and bring to the boil, then turn the heat down to low and cook for 25-30 minutes until the lentils have softened and cooked through. If they are not soft after the 30 minute, just cook for a few more minutes until they are.

Meanwhile, move on to the salsa.  Put the lemon juice over the onion and put to one side.

Add the spinach and the chopped tomatoes to the lentils and stir through.  Add the juice of 1 of the lemons and taste, whether or not you need the extra lemon is down to your personal preference.  Add some freshly ground pepper and some salt if needed.

To the salsa and add the rest of the ingredients and season.  Stir and check the seasoning.

For the butter, put it into a small pan and melt.  When sizzling, add the curry leaves and cook for a minute or so until popping.  Remove the curry leaves to a bowl on the side and to the hot butter, add the tomato puree and chillies and stir through and cook for a minute.  Add the curry leaves back through and remove from the heat.

Spoon the dal into bowls and top with the salsa and then the chilli butter.

- Recipe adapted from One Pot, Pan, Planet by Anna Jones