Recipe: Simple Indian-Style Daal 
Description: I never liked daal (a thick stew prepared from dried peas and/or lentils that is a staple in many Indian diets) until I spent a summer in South India, where I piled hot, creamy daal onto beds of warm rice and scooped up any leftovers with flaky paratha. It was the ultimate comfort food and ever since, I've scoured every Indian restaurant to satisfy my daal craving. This recipe isn't as rich or buttery as the hotel-style dishes in Indian restaurants, but it's still utterly satisfying, it comes together quickly, and it's completely customizable in terms of heat level and the type of dried peas you use. If you want a creamier daal, add more butter (always a good idea) and let it simmer longer.   This recipe is an adaptation and combination of recipes from Madhur Jaffrey, Smitten Kitchen, and the Guardian. 
Ingredients: [{"text": "2 cups (400 g) dried yellow, orange, or green split peas (or a combination)"}, {"text": "4 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed"}, {"text": "1.5 inch pieces ginger, peeled and cut in 4"}, {"text": "1 tablespoon tumeric"}, {"text": "1 tomato, cut into 8 wedges"}, {"text": "4 small green chilies: 2 finely chopped, 2 whole"}, {"text": "1/4 cup canola oil"}, {"text": "1 tablespoon cumin seeds"}, {"text": "1 onion, finely chopped"}, {"text": "2 shallots, finely sliced"}, {"text": "2 cloves garlic, finely sliced"}, {"text": "1 teaspoon ground coriander"}, {"text": "1/4 to 1/2 teaspoons cayenne"}, {"text": "1 tablespoon butter"}, {"text": "1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped"}, {"text": "1 teaspoon salt"}]
Instructions: None
