• 2-inch piece ginger, peeled, sliced
• 6 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/2 cup ghee
• 2 yellow onions, thinly sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons turmeric
• 1 1/2 cups masoor dal (hulled red lentils)
• Salt
• 2 teaspoons black mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 2 Thai green chilies, stemmed and sliced

1. Add the ginger, garlic, and 1/4 cup of water to a blender and process until smooth.
2. Pour half of the ghee into a large pot set over medium-high heat. Dump in the onions and cook, stirring often, until they are well browned, about 20 minutes.
3. Pour in the garlic and ginger puree along with the cayenne, coriander, ground cumin, and turmeric. Cook until the water has nearly evaporated, about 5 minutes.
4. Pour in 4 cups of water along with the lentils. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Add the rest of the ghee to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Toss in the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and chilies. Cook, stirring occasionally for about 2 minutes. Ladle some of the lentils into a bowl and pour some of the ghee and chili mixture on top.

From http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/