Remove cooked lentils and allow to cool completely

If you are not a pressure cooker lover then cook the lentils in a big saucepan with exactly two times the water than the quantity of the lentils

Lentils cook quickly in a pan, cover and cook and keep an eye as water may boil over

Finely chop red onions chopped into long slivers

Chop the tomatoes into 4 pieces – just for ease of blending

In a kadhai or wok heat the 3 tbsp oil and deep fry the garlic chopped into fine strips

Add the red onions and sauté are absolutely crisp, the aroma is delicious

Puree the washed tomatoes with the deep-fried red onion and garlic (leave some for garnishing)

Use a potato masher ( or the back of a large ladle) and roughly squash the cooked and cooled lentils and mix them with the tomatoes puree

In the same kadhai/wok or pan used to fry the onions and garlic - heat about 1 to 1.5 tsp oil

Add asafoetida, whole cumin, coriander powder, cumin powder, red chilli powder, cloves

Sauté the spices in the oil for under a minute

Add the cooked lentils and tomato puree

Add water if the mixture is too thick

Cover and cook on a low flame for 5 -8 minutes

Season with salt as per taste

Garnished with the remaining crispy fried onion and garlic bits

Sprinkle some freshly cracked pepper

Serve hot

Best accompanied by hot buttered toast